Doctors can also be affected by serious pathologies. Their advantage (over ordinary people) is above all in terms of reactivity: more alert, they will react quickly in the event of a worrying symptom. This is how an ophthalmologist was able to quickly treat a retinal detachment, his own.
A part of his vision that is obscured
Dr Amir Hamid, a 51-year-old eye surgeon, cited his own example on BBC Newsto talk about retinal detachment. What alerted him? A white area appearing in his field of vision in his right eye. A sign that he has not left lying around, as he knows the consequences.
“I rushed to the hospital to have my eyes examined and scanned… three hours later I was scheduled for surgery on my right eye”he remembers. The specialist explains that he was able to benefit from treatment in time to preserve his eyesight and that he was able to return to work after a few weeks of convalescence.
But for the general public, these signals are often ignored or minimized. So, how to recognize a retinal detachment in time?
What a retinal detachment really is
Consulted, Professor Aude Couturier, specialist at the French Myopia Institute, recalls that the most common form of retinal detachment is linked to a tear in the retina.
“With age, the vitreous, a transparent gel which fills the interior of the eye, changes. Compact in young subjects, it gradually liquefies and ends up detaching from the retina. This phenomenon is physiological, but at the time of detachment, traction can be exerted on the retina, sometimes leading to a tear” she explains.
This mechanism occurs most often after the age of 50, but can appear earlier in myopic people, in the event of ocular trauma or pre-existing pathology.
Warning signs of a retinal tear
Namely: a tear often precedes separation, and it is at this stage that we can act effectively. We still need to recognize the symptoms:
- A sudden appearance of floatersoften described as “flies”, black dots or filaments in the visual field;
- Flashes of lightespecially on the sides of the field of vision, sometimes repeated over a few seconds.
“These signs reflect traction of the vitreous on the retina. They should lead to rapid consultation in order to perform a fundus examination after dilation of the pupil” indicates the expert.
If a tear is detected, laser treatment may be offered, ideally within 24 to 48 hours, to prevent progression to detachment. Hence the usefulness of going quickly to a specialist.
When the retina starts to detach
On the other hand, if the tear goes unnoticed (which happens) or is not treated, the fluid inside the eye can seep under the retina and detach it. The symptoms then change in nature. But they are also to be spotted without delay and without hesitation;
- A gray or dark veil which progresses in the visual field;
- A task print or curtain, initially located on one side, at the top or at the bottom;
- An attack generally with one eyewhich can delay awareness, especially if the other eye compensates.
“At the beginning, central vision may remain intact: we can still read or recognize letters. This is a common pitfall. When the detachment reaches the central area of the retina (the macula), the visual decline then becomes brutal and severe”
warns Professor Couturier.
An emergency not to be missed
Good news all the same, retinal detachment is treated by surgery, with good anatomical results: in around 90% of cases, the retina is reattached in a single operation. But the visual prognosis strongly depends on the timing. “If the central area has been detached, recovery is often incomplete, especially when the detachment has progressed for several weeks” warns the expert.
This is why Professor Aude Couturier insists: retinal detachment is a relative surgical emergency. “The intervention is not necessarily carried out within the hour, but it must ideally take place the same day, and at the latest within two to three days.”
Flashes of light, rain of floating bodies, veil over one eye: these signs should never be trivialized. “You should not wait for “it to pass” or postpone the consultation until later. In ophthalmology, a few hours or a few days can make all the difference between preserved vision and lasting visual loss. she concludes.