Retinal Vascular Disease
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Retina Specialists of Colorado
Retina Specialists located in Aurora, CO, Denver, CO, Littleton, CO, Arvada, CO & Centennial, CO.
Like every other area of your body, your eyes rely on good vascular health to function properly. When something compromises your blood vessels — such as one of several retinal vascular diseases — you need the help of an experienced retina specialist like Dr. Ross Chod and Dr. Michael Jansen. At his practice, Retina Specialists of Colorado, Dr. Ross Chod and Dr. Michael Jansen help their patients in Aurora, CO, Denver, CO, Littleton, CO, Arvada, CO & Centennial CO, preserve their eyesight through prompt diagnosis and treatment of retinal vascular diseases. To learn more, call the office or schedule an appointment using the online booking tool.
Retinal Vascular Disease Q & A
What are the main retinal vascular diseases?
Retinal vascular disease is a broad heading for a group of diseases that affects the blood vessels in your eyes. The most common among these diseases include:
Hypertensive retinopathy
If you have high blood pressure, you need to be mindful of the health of the blood vessels in your eyes. With hypertension, the blood vessels in your retina can thicken and narrow, cutting off blood supply, which can cause problems in your vision and damage your optic nerve.
Diabetic retinopathy
For diabetics, diabetic retinopathy is a clear and present danger as high blood sugar levels create problems in the retinal blood vessels. As your blood vessels become swollen or begin to leak, you may experience serious vision loss.
Retinal vein occlusion
This condition develops when the veins that carry blood away from your retina become blocked due to atherosclerosis and clots. This condition is often tied to diabetes, hypertension, glaucoma, macular edema, and vitreous hemorrhage.
Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO)
This condition is an emergency and requires immediate care. CRAO is essentially a “stroke” in your eye and is caused by a blockage in your central retinal artery. In these cases, there’s sudden and significant vision loss.
What are the signs of retinal vascular disease?
Many retinal vascular diseases are progressive and painless, so it’s helpful to stay on top of any potential symptoms, which may include:
- Blurring vision
- An increase in floaters in your vision
- Reduced central vision
- Distorted vision
- A loss of peripheral vision
Since there are a number of different retinal vascular diseases, any time you experience a change in your eyesight, it’s well worth paying Dr. Ross Chod and Dr. Michael Jansen a visit to get to the bottom of the problem.
What are the treatments for retinal vascular disease?
After performing a complete eye exam to root out the cause of your vision problems, Dr. Ross Chod and Dr. Michael Jansen are better able to plot a treatment course. As a retina specialist, the doctor has an arsenal of tools and treatments that he turns to help preserve your eyesight, including:
Intravitreal injections
Using anti-VEGF and steroids, Dr. Ross Chod and Dr. Michael Jansen can stop new blood vessels from forming in your eyes and reduce swelling.
Laser treatments
Dr. Ross Chod and Dr. Michael Jansen are highly trained in ocular laser treatments that can help stop the progression of retinal damage due to damaged blood vessels. The laser treatment depends on the underlying cause of your condition, which he thoroughly explains to you.
If you’re losing vision due to a retinal vascular disease, call Retina Specialists of Colorado, or request an appointment using the online booking tool.
