Is It Safe to Do Retina Operations at an Old Age?
The retina is a layer of cells located at the back of the eyeball. These cells are light-sensitive and trigger nerve impulses that pass through the optic nerve and into the brain. From there, a visual image is formed. If something happens to one or both of your retinas, like a tear or detachment, you may experience temporary or permanent vision loss.
Eyesight naturally declines with age
It is common for eyesight to deteriorate with age. Beginning in the early 40s, adults may notice more difficulty seeing clearly at close distances, especially while reading or working on a computer. With age people are at risk for developing more serious types of age-related eye conditions like: Macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vessel occlusions and detached retinas. Each of these conditions affects the retina in some way and requires surgery to repair it or stop it from getting worse.
Is retina surgery safe for elderly people?
Generally speaking, ophthalmic treatments have a low risk of complications. However, elderly people have a higher risk of complications from any surgical procedure—including retina operations. This is largely due to other age-related health conditions like: Increased blood pressure, clogged arteries, and heart and lung disease.
“It’s important to note that age isn’t the predominant factor for the safety of a patient during an operation,” said Dr. Mark Levitan. “It really comes down to the patient’s overall health.”
All that said, surgery on the elderly can be done safely—if doctors take the necessary precautions. The skilled ophthalmologists at Austin Retina Associates have vast experience successfully treating and repairing age-related eye conditions in older adults. If you or a loved one is struggling with untimely vision loss, we are here to safely help you.
For skilled retinal surgery in Austin, call 800-252-8259.
