How We Help

What is a Retina Specialist?

Retina specialists are ophthalmologists who have completed an ophthalmology residency and subsequent training in a fellowship dedicated to retina diseases and surgery. Retina Specialists are trained to treat conditions like macular degeneration, retinal tears and detachments, uveitis and vascular conditions related to the retina.

Typically, patients are referred to a retina specialist by their primary ophthalmologist or optometrist.

If you are experiencing flashes of light, floaters, or symptoms of vitreous or retinal detachments or tears, ask your doctor if seeing a specialist may be right for you.

Our Drs. Blair, Davis, and Kellogg completed a two-year Fellowship training and have many years of experience in the medical and surgical management of diseases and disorders of the retina and vitreous.

Conditions We Treat

Retina and vitreous diseases and disorders are serious matters requiring quick medical attention. Our physicians can diagnose and treat conditions to save your sight, improve your life, and offer you hope.

A deterioration of the retina and choroid leads to a substantial loss in visual acuity (sharpness of vision). AMD is the leading cause of significant visual acuity loss in people over age 50 in developed countries. Symptoms include distortion of straight lines and dark blurriness in the center of your vision.

Learn more about Macular Degeneration

A complication of diabetes that causes damage to the blood vessels of the retina— the light-sensitive tissue that lines the back part of the eye, allowing you to see fine detail. Symptoms include difficulty with reading, blurred vision, and the appearance of floaters.

Learn more about Diabetic Retinopathy

Many conditions can lead to a retinal detachment, in which the retina separates from the back wall of the eye, like wallpaper peeling off a wall. Symptoms include floaters, flashing lights, and a shadow in your peripheral vision.

LEARN MORE ABOUT RETINAL DETACHMENTS

The vitreous is a clear gel-like substance that fills in the back cavity of the eye, which is lined by the retina. At birth, this gel is attached to the retina, but as we age, the gel separates from the retina creating a posterior vitreous detachment or PVD. Sometimes, this may lead to tears. Symptoms include the sudden appearance of floaters or flashing lights.

Learn more about Retinal Tears

Many systemic medications may cause retinal toxicity. One such commonly used medication for dermatologic and rheumatologic inflammatory conditions is hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), a chloroquine derivative. It is used to treat many diseases, including malaria, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Retinal toxicity from hydroxychloroquine is rare, but even if the medication is discontinued, vision loss may be irreversible and may continue to progress. It is imperative that patients and physicians are aware of and watch for this drug’s ocular side effects. And before treatment is initiated with hydroxychloroquine, a complete ophthalmic examination should be performed to determine any baseline maculopathy.

A retinal vein occlusion is a blockage in one of the veins in the retina. A blocked vein causes damage to the blood vessels of the retina. This causes bleeding and leakage of fluid, which then impairs vision.

The eye has three different layers of tissue surrounding the central gel-filled cavity, called the vitreous. The retina is the innermost layer that senses light and helps send images to the brain. The sclera is the outermost layer, the strong white wall of the eye. The middle layer, between the retina and the sclera, is called the uvea. Uveitis is inflammation of the uvea.

The macula is a small area in the center of the retina where light is sharply focused to produce the detailed vision needed for tasks such as reading and driving. When a full-thickness defect develops in the macula, the condition is referred to as a macular hole. Symptoms include a decline in central vision, blurring, distortion, or a central blind spot.

Learn more about Macular Hole

Conditions Definition Source: American Society of Retina Specialists

Learn more about any of these conditions on the American Society of Retina Specialists website. We are a member of the Foundation and follow its mission.