Retinal Detachment – Are You at Risk?

Retinal detachment is a condition in which the retina (the thin layer of light sensitive tissue on the back wall of the eye) pulls away from its support tissue. Symptoms include, rapid flashes of light, a sudden dramatic increase in the number of floaters, or a curtain or veil blocking vision. Retinal detachment is an emergency and requires immediate attention. Initial detachment may be localized but without rapid treatment, the entire retina could detach causing irreversible blindness.

 Treatment for retinal detachment depends upon the severity. Many detachments are treated with laser. In other, more severe cases, extensive surgery must be performed.    

Am I at risk? Everyone is at risk; retinal detachments can happen to anyone and can be spontaneous. However, if you are very nearsighted, have a family history of detachments, or have had previous head trauma, you are at higher risk. By minimizing exposure to activities with a high potential for head trauma, or activities that can increase pressure within or on the eye, you can decrease your odds of detachment.          

Have your eyes regularly examined and never ignore warning signs of a retinal detachment. The sooner you seek medical help, the greater the chance of saving your vision. If you suddenly notice flashes of light, an increased number of floaters, or a curtain blocking your vision please call us at (770) 834-0212 immediately.  If you reach a recording, please leave an emergency message.

How to Pass Your Eye Exam

Which is better one or two, three or four?  For some, these words cause a sudden panic and what might be called, test anxiety.  The pressure to get the “right” answer can be overbearing at times, but an eye exam should not be stressful.  Here are a few tips to help you get through your next examination without breaking a sweat.

 At West Georgia Eye Care our goal each day is to make all patients feel at home while providing great care.  Rule number one for a great exam is to relax.  At WGEC, the Optomap Retinal Evaluation is typically the first test you will encounter; the purpose of the Optomap is to obtain an image of the retina.  In other words, we’re taking a picture, so open your eyes wide and say “cheese”. Retinal detachments along with other retinal disease can be diagnosed with the help of the Optomap.

 Rule number two is relax.  The next several tests will make measurements of your eyes to help determine your prescription, among other things.  All you have to do is look at an image in a machine.  Easy, right?

The last part of the examination is determining your prescription and evaluating your eye health.  The doctor will use all the information from the previous tests to fine-tune your prescription.  Your eyes will be evaluated on how well they focus and work together.  During this portion it is important to keep your eyes relaxed, don’t try to make your eyes focus on the letters.  So the answer to “which is better”,  is the lens that is clearest to you.  There is no “right” answer.’

As doctors, prescribing glasses and contact lenses is important, but your eye health is without a doubt, the biggest concern.  Your eyes will be carefully examined from the front of the cornea to the optic nerve and macula in the back of the eye.  Cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration are just a few things that can be diagnosed when evaluating eye health.    After reviewing all findings, any questions you may have will be answered.  Then it is time to have some fun and select glasses or contact lenses. 

Hopefully, this will help to ease your test anxiety and make your next eye exam at West Georgia Eye Care a breeze.

Dr Rothschild speaks at Lions Club

On September 22, 2011, Dr Rothschild had the priviledge of speaking to the Carrollton Lions Club.  He chose to speak about eye safety in the work place.   Dr Rothschild emphasized the importance of not only protecting the eye from debris and chemicals, but also from eye strain and fatigue caused from excessive computer use.  Thank you, Carrollton Lions Club for having Dr Rothschild.