Procedures

Listed are diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for retinal disorders.

Diagnostic Procedures
Fluorescein Angiogram (FA) and Photography

This is an in-office procedure using a digital camera that is used for diagnostic purposes. Color and black-and-white photographs are taken of one or both eyes. The fluorescein angiogram portion of the photographs uses an injection of a vegetable-based dye into a vein, which is then followed by a series of pictures of your eye(s)

Indocyanine Green (ICG) Angiography

This test is similar to the fluorescein angiogram and also involves injection of a dye into a vein, which is then followed by a series of pictures. It is used to detect blood circulation problems in the choroid.

Ocular Ultrasound

This noninvasive test is performed to check on the status of the retina when the view through the pupil is limited. It is also performed to measure masses in the eye.

Optical Coherence Tomography

A non-invasive imaging test that uses light waves to take cross-section pictures of your retina. With this test each distinctive layer of the retina can be seen, which allows your physician to map and measure their thickness.

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Therapeutic Procedures
Intravitreal Injection

Intravitreal injections can be given for many reasons including for macular degeneration, edema of the retina, and infection in the eye. The eye is first anesthetized and sterilized, and then the injection follows.

Retinal Laser

There are many retinal diseases for which laser procedures are performed. These include, but are not limited to, retinal tears, retinal edema, and abnormal growth of blood vessels from diabetes and macular degeneration.  

Scleral Buckle

A scleral buckle is a type of belt that is placed around the eye to aid in the repair of a retinal detachment. The placement of a scleral buckle is sometimes accompanied by a vitrectomy. The procedure is most often performed under local anesthesia and is a same-day, outpatient surgery.

Sub-Tenon's Injections

After completely anesthetizing the area, this type of injection is given alongside the eye. The eye itself is not penetrated. Usually a steroid is used for either edema (swelling) in the retina or to help control inflammation in the eye.

Vitrectomy

This procedure is currently the most common in hospital procedure for retinal diseases. The procedure involves removing the vitreous gel in the eye using special instruments. Sometimes a bubble of air or gas is left in the eye that can last a few weeks. Some of the more common reasons a vitrectomy is performed include macular pucker, macular hole, retinal detachment, and vitreous hemorrhage. The procedure is most often performed under local anesthesia and is a same-day, outpatient surgery.

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