What You Need to Know About

Vitreomacular Traction Vitreomacular traction is often referred to as VMT and is a disorder that effects the

vitreoretinal interface. The macular is found in the heart of the retina and this

provides you with crisp and clear vision. When this is compromised, your vision will

become blurred and you will experience blind spots over time.

The macular lies flat against the back of the eye and the vitreous is the clear gel that

you find in the interior of the eye. The vitreous gel is what lifts the eye and over time

this gel shrinks with age and slowly pulls away from the retina.

In some instances, the macular may stick to the retina, pulling on the surface, this is

called vitreomacular traction. There are limited symptoms when it comes to this eye

condition, so if you experience any of the symptoms listed, then you should seek

assistance from an eye specialist who can provide you with an eye examination to

identify what may be causing your eye problems.

Some of the symptoms you may

experience when suffering from

vitreomacular traction include

blurred vision, blind spots and

distorted vision. The good news

is that this particular eye

condition does not lead to

blindness, in fact even when you

experience blind spots it is limited

to the centre of your vision, which

means your peripheral vision is

maintained at all times.

In most instances the only way to

identify if there is a problem is with an eye examination from an eye specialist.

During the eye examination, the specialist will run numerous tests to see what could

be causing your symptoms. They will then identify the problem and discuss this in

detail with you to determine which treatment solution is the one that best meets your

vision needs and requirements now and moving forward.

When it comes to mild symptoms which aren’t affecting your daily life, the eye

specialist will probably recommend no treatment, but regular monitoring. The

monitoring enables them to identify how quickly this eye condition is progressing and

whether further action needs to be taken in the treatment of your vitreomacular

traction.

Severe symptoms that interfere with your daily life will require treatment. A new eye

injection called intravitreal Jetrea or Ocriplasmin is now approved for VMT treatment.

The injection is delivered using eydrops that numb the eyeball. This means that you

can avoid eye surgery. In other cases of VMT, this requires surgery. Vitrectomy

surgery is a very common surgery which is carried out by an experienced eye

surgeon. It is a quick and effective surgery that requires you take it easy for a few

days, giving your eye time to heal.

The good news is that this particular

surgery is carried out as a day case,

so you can go home a couple of hours

as long as you have someone to stay

with you for at least twenty four hours.

Vitreomacular tension surgery involves

the surgeon making a small incision in

your eye. This is done under local

anaesthetic and while you are awake

throughout the procedure, you will not

experience any pain. With the incision

completed, they will then carefully

remove the vitreous from the eye and

replace it with a synthetically produced gel. This is done to help improve your sight

and vision improvement should be seen within a few days of surgery. The operation

takes 20 minutes and has a low risk of complications.

It is imperative after vitreomacular tension surgery that you follow the doctor’s

instructions to the letter. You should definitely not drive for around two weeks to give

your eye time to heal and for your vision to improve.

Mahi Muqit is a leading consultant ophthalmologist, cataract and vitreoretinal

surgeon at two private clinics in London, United Kingdom. He provides consultations

and treatments at Moorfields Private and 119 Harley Street. He provides patients

with superior service and support with a range of surgical procedures to meet their

eye sight requirements. He has built up a solid reputation for his eye services in the

London area as an expert eye doctor and surgeon offering surgical retina, medical

retina and complex cataract surgery. He also offers surgery to patients suffering from

diabetic retinopathy. Mahi Muqit is a member of the Royal College of

Ophthalmologists, a member of the British and Eire Association of Vitreoretinal

Surgeons and the UK and Ireland Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons. To

find out more, visit http://www.retinasurgeon.uk.com.