Lasers And Injections

Laser therapy for the retina is required for many diseases that threaten your vision. This form of treatment is usually preventive and is suggested before you experience vision loss. Laser therapy is an OPD procedure, does not need special preparation, does not need anaesthesia and is virtually painless. Your doctor, after examining your retina, will advise laser treatment for any one of the following retinal diseases:

• Retinal tear, hole or lattice degenerations
  

  A retinal tear, retinal holes or lattice degenerations significantly increase the risk of developing retinal detachment if left untreated. Once detected, laser therapy needs to be undertaken urgently to prevent the retinal tear from extending and causing retinal detachment.

• Proliferative diabetic retinopathy
  

  Diabetic retinopathy goes through various stages, the last and most dangerous being proliferative diabetic retinopathy. When your doctor detects this condition, you are required to undergo three sittings of retinal laser called Pan Retinal Photocoagulation.

  
• Retinopathy of prematurity
  

  As the name suggests, this condition is seen in premature babies and is vision threatening unless diagnosed and treated in timely fashion. Babies born before 34 weeks of pregnancy and babies under 2kg birth weight are required to undergo retinal examination to detect retinopathy. Laser treatment is required for few babies who are at risk of vision loss. Once there is a need, the laser needs to be done on an urgent basis. Dr Sengupta has a lot of experience in examining and treating such small babies with over 500 such laser procedures under his belt.

• Other conditions
  

  Many other conditions require laser therapy such as branch vein occlusion, coat’s disease, retinal vasculitis etc.