4323 East Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55406

612-722-1003

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Office Hours

M-W: 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM

THR-F: 8:30 AM to 5 PM

Retinal Conditions & Vitreous Degeneration Exam

Vitreous Degeneration is a common condition with some unsettling symptoms and often seemingly sudden onset.  This condition is most commonly seen in adults over the age of 50.  Vitreous is the gel like substance that fills the inside of the eye behind the lens.  Before you were born, it helped maintain the shape of the eye and nourish the eye as it developed.  As we age, it begins to liquefy and shrink. Conditions like nearsightedness (myopia), trauma and previous cataract surgery can increase the onset or progression of Vitreous Degeneration. Fibers or vitreous strands can pull on the retina, which may result in flashes or floaters.  Floaters are seen as small moving dots or wispy gray spots or lines.  Flashes are bright light effects when there is no actual light stimulus entering the eye.

Sometimes vitreous degeneration occurs to an extent that the vitreous completely separates from the retina.  This is known as a Posterior Vitreous Detachment.  A Posterior Vitreous Detachment may result in persistent floaters which may be bothersome to vision, yet, it would not cause vision loss.

A Retinal Detachment is threatening to vision.  Retinal Detachments can be caused by or associated with Diabetes, Trauma, Surgery, Vitreous Degeneration, Vitreous Traction, and Retinal Degenerative conditions.  A Retinal Detachment needs to be diagnosed, located, and treated urgently. 

Symptoms of Retinal Detachment or Vitreous Degeneration may include:

  • Shadows on the retina/ floaters
  • Little “cobwebs”
  • Flashes of light/ lightening streaks
  • Increased floaters
  • Curtain or Veil
  • Vision Loss

If you or a loved one is experiencing any of these symptoms, we highly recommend you call our clinic immediately. Immediate treatment can drastically improve the outcome of any retinal tear you may have.  Often any retinal tear can be treated surgically and the sooner surgical intervention occurs to the time the tear occurred the better the visual outcome.

Contact us today to have us exam your eyes to determine whether you are suffering from Vitreous Degeneration or Retinal Detachment. We proudly serve patients in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, and surrounding communities.

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