Retinal bubbles? Info please?

[Balthisar]

Anyone know anything about bubbles in the retina? Google wasn't my friend today (or my searching talents are down).

I'm looking for information about a condition that's treatable with a laser by an opthamologist in which the retina has bubbles in it. I don't know the name of the condition, only that an Argon laser is used to fuse an area near to bubbles to reinforce it.

All I get in Google are intentional bubbles for treating retinal detachment, and the creation of bubbles in the retina by lasers. The bubbles I need are alledgedly genetic, and definitely not caused by lasers. There seems to be no degredation in vision.

Any help here?

Thanks!

[Boldface Type]

Anyone know anything about bubbles in the retina? Google wasn't my friend today (or my searching talents are down).

All I get in Google are intentional bubbles for treating retinal detachment, and the creation of bubbles in the retina by lasers. The bubbles I need are alledgedly genetic, and definitely not caused by lasers. There seems to be no degredation in vision.


Hm, it sounds like you mean retinal detachment (i.e., the 'bubble' could be the fluid-filled region behind the retina as it begins to detach) - though you say that's not it.

You might mean lattice degeneration, which is often a precursor to retinal detachment?

[Balthisar]

Lattice detachment? Finally Google gives me something. Doesn't mention anything about bubbles, though. I'll have to try calling the opthamologist. Problem is I wasn't told a specific disorder, but only that bubbles in the retina. Doesn't help that this was in Spanish, which ain't my first language. My use of "ain't" clearly proves, however, that English is. :)

[Boldface Type]

Lattice detachment? Finally Google gives me something. Doesn't mention anything about bubbles, though. I'll have to try calling the opthamologist. Problem is I wasn't told a specific disorder, but only that bubbles in the retina.

Degeneration, not detachment, although lattice degeneration is a factor in retinal detachment.

[YWalker]

Are the "bubbles" they're talking about bits of leaking fluid within the eye, that may obscure vision if they're in the wrong place? If so, it may be macular degeneration. It's not strictily hereditary, but it can have a genetic component to it. If you have what is called the "wet" type (or "exudative" type of macular degeneration), this means that they might want to go in with a laser to cut off the bleeding from an actively bleeding site to help reduce the damage it causes.

[Viscera]

Well, I had a retina tear when I was younger (basically the retina begins to detach from the back of the eye), which is the precursor to the retina detachment. They had been watching it for years, so it wasn't an emergency, but then eventually they sent me to a retina specialist where they used a laser to fix the problem. I had blurry vision for a few hours, and a headache from hell that day (though I did still go to work), but after that, no problems, and it has not re-surfaced. This was about eight years ago.

[Balthisar]

Degeneration, not detachment, although lattice degeneration is a factor in retinal detachment.

Oops, I meant that in what I wrote! I was just fixated on the detachment -- happened to my brother a couple of years ago.

Found out from the original doctor -- it's something that can lead to retinal detachment, so it sounds like you nailed it on the head. It was still all in Spanish. They're going to fix it with a laser.

Actually, this was all discovered in preparation for laser kerototomy, so I was kind of concerned if the doctor was really just trying to "upsell." I know we shouldn't go to doctors we don't trust, but really, I don't ever trust anyone, so whadayoudo? Actually, I now trust the doctora having a confirmed answer!

Thank you all! You cost me mucho pesos, but now I know they'll be well spent.