The retina is the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye, and the vitreous is the clear gel in front of it. Retinal specialists are divided loosely into medical retina, which treats disease with injections and laser, and vitreoretinal surgery, which repairs detachments, macular holes and membranes in the operating theatre.
Retinal conditions include some of the commonest causes of sight loss in adults. Several are true emergencies measured in hours or days. Others are chronic and need injections every 1 to 3 months for years. Both facts shape what can realistically be done away from home.
Conditions this service looks after
- Age-related macular degeneration
- Diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema
- Retinal vein and artery occlusion
- Retinal tears and retinal detachment
- Posterior vitreous detachment, floaters and vitreous haemorrhage
- Macular hole and epiretinal membrane
- Central serous chorioretinopathy
- Myopic macular degeneration
- Inherited retinal dystrophies
- Retinal and choroidal tumours, such as naevi and melanoma
Tests you may be offered
- Dilated examination with indentation: Inspects the far edge of the retina for tears.
- OCT: Cross-sectional scan of the macula; guides almost all injection decisions.
- OCT angiography: Dye-free imaging of retinal and choroidal vessels.
- Fluorescein and ICG angiography: Dye tests showing leakage and closed vessels.
- Widefield photography and autofluorescence: Documents the peripheral retina and the health of the pigment layer.
- B-scan ultrasound: Shows the retina when blood or cataract blocks the view.
- Electroretinography: Tests retinal function in inherited or unexplained disease.
Treatments available
- Intravitreal anti-VEGF injections: For wet macular degeneration, diabetic macular oedema and vein occlusion. Repeated at intervals of 4 to 16 weeks.
- Steroid implants: For macular oedema and some uveitis; risks include raised pressure and cataract.
- Laser retinopexy: Seals a retinal tear in clinic to prevent detachment.
- Panretinal and focal laser: For proliferative diabetic retinopathy and selected leaking points.
- Photodynamic therapy: For chronic central serous retinopathy and polypoidal disease.
- Vitrectomy: For detachment, macular hole, membrane, haemorrhage and diabetic traction.
- Scleral buckle and pneumatic retinopexy: Alternative repairs for certain detachments.
- Observation: Appropriate for many floaters, mild membranes and naevi.
When to ask for a specialist opinion
- Sudden flashes, a shower of new floaters or a curtain in your vision: same-day local care
- Distortion of straight lines or a central blur
- You have diabetes and have not had a retinal check in the past year
- Sudden painless loss of vision in one eye: emergency
- You have been told you need long-term injections and want a second opinion
- A pigmented lesion at the back of the eye that has been noted to change
Travelling to Türkiye for this care
Good reasons to travel include a second opinion with full imaging, planned surgery for a macular hole or epiretinal membrane, a course of panretinal laser, or silicone oil removal. Plan the stay around the no-fly rule: if gas is placed in the eye you cannot fly until it has absorbed, which takes 2 to 8 weeks. Poor reasons to travel include retinal detachment, which must be repaired locally without delay, and injection treatment for macular degeneration or diabetic oedema, which only works when given regularly near home.
Send your reports, scans and a short history and a Clinic-Y coordinator replies within 24 hours with suitable teams and written, all-inclusive proposals side by side. Reviewing your case is free.
الأسئلة المتكررة
Are floaters treatable?
Most fade from notice within months and need no treatment. Vitrectomy for floaters is possible but carries real risks, and laser for floaters has limited evidence.
How many eye injections will I need?
It varies. Many people with wet macular degeneration need them for years, with intervals stretching to 8 to 16 weeks when the disease is quiet.
Can I fly with a retinal problem?
Flying is safe unless you have a gas bubble in your eye. With gas, flying can cause sudden severe pressure rise and loss of vision.
What is the difference between a retinal tear and a detachment?
A tear is a break that can often be sealed with laser in clinic. A detachment means fluid has lifted the retina, and it needs surgery.