A retina specialist is a highly trained subspecialist with special skills to diagnose and treat specific parts of the complex human visual system. A diagnosis of retina and vitreous disease should prompt a thorough examination that may require highly technical equipment and testing.

Our retina specialists treat a variety of conditions, ranging from age-related macular degeneration to retinal detachment and cancers of the eye. A retina specialist may also treat a patient who has experienced severe eye trauma, and may be consulted in the case of patients dealing with hereditary diseases of the eye.

A healthy retina is necessary for good vision. The eye is composed of light-sensitive cells connected with nerve fibers that allow light entering the eye to be converted to nerve impulses that reach the brain. The amount of light entering is controlled by the iris and is then passed to the retina. The retina is a thin membranous lining at the back of the eye.

It is light-sensitive nerve tissue that controls how images are viewed. The images are focused here and converted to electrical impulses which are carried to the brain by the optic nerve.

Some of the information contained here was adapted from the Amercian Society of Retina Specialists