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Certain symptoms should not be ignored; if you experience them, immediate medical consultation is necessary. Here are three that concern vision, revealed by an ophthalmology student.
Some symptoms are linked to serious pathologies, so it is crucial not to ignore them. Here are three, linked to a serious eye pathology, called retinal detachment.
They are described by Alexandre Sifer, 3rd year ophthalmology intern at Cochin Hospital, in Paris, in a video published on Instagram on his account @siferalexandre.
Retinal detachment, one of the most serious pathologies in ophthalmology
Retinal detachment,it is one of the most serious pathologies in ophthalmology, and it can even affect young patients. explains Alexandre Sifer.
It corresponds to the separation of part of the surface of the retina from its support (the pigment epithelium).
A liquid is interposed between these two layers and forms a small liquid pocket located under the retina. This results in a sudden and sudden loss of vision in the area concerned. Most often, retinal detachment is caused by a tear in the retina.
Retinal detachment is a serious functional condition. Untreated, it can lead to loss of visual function and therefore blindness. This is a surgical emergency. Each year, retinal detachment affects 1 to 2 people in 10,000.
Here are the 3 symptoms that should not be ignored
In the video, the young man notes that it is a “serious illness but well managed if the diagnosis is made quickly“. Hence the importance of not ignoring the suggestive symptoms. He cites 3, which should push you to go to the emergency room:
- The fact having “floaters” in your field of vision : you see “little flies” or “black filaments” on the surface of your eye, which you cannot make disappear;
- YOU have flashes of light in your field of vision : in medical jargon, we speak of “phosphenes”. These are persistent “bright spots”;
- Finally, you have a “veil” or “curtain” at the periphery of your field of vision, which progresses towards the center of your gaze.
If you have any of these symptoms, go to the emergency room immediately. You will be taken in to check whether it is indeed a retinal detachment. If this is the case, the treatment will be surgical, to reapply the detached retina.
Slide: What are these vision problems hiding?