Retinal Cryotherapy in Baltimore

Also serving Pikesville, Owings Mills, Glen Burnie, & Rosedale

At the Elman Retina Group, we provide advanced vision and eye care to each of our patients. Our team provides a private, comfortable atmosphere for our patients. When you visit us, we’ll talk about the specific needs you have to improve your vision or preserve it. One of the types of advanced vision care we offer is retinal cryotherapy. Drs. Elman and Schechet offer top-notch service using state-of-the-art techniques to enhance your vision.

What Is Retinal Cryotherapy?

Retinal cryotherapy is a type of procedure that uses very cold temperatures to create a chorioretinal scar and destroys the retinal tissue. The retina is a thin membrane located at the back of the eye. It works like the film in a camera. Images come in from the cornea, or lens, at the front of the eye. The light is shaped by the cornea and then lands on the retina. The retina is held in place at a ring located behind the lens. This is called the pars plana. The retina is directly connected to the optic nerve towards the back of the eye. The retina works to collect information from the light streaming into the eye and then sends it to the optic nerve which transfers it to the brand.

However, some people may experience damage or disease to the retina. Retinal cryotherapy can help in a variety of conditions including in:

• The retina detaches or breaks away
• There is retinal tissue that becomes damaged from a lack of oxygen, called retina ischemia
• The blood vessels in the retina become damaged, called neovascularization
• Intraocular tumors develop, called retinoblastoma
• Coats’ disease occurs, a condition in which the retinal blood vessels are abnormal in structure and cause a loss of vision

How Can Your Ophthalmology Team Help You?

As retina specialists, our ophthalmologists may recommend the use of retinal cryotherapy. We’ll provide a full examination of your eyes as a first step. Then, we may recommend this treatment if we feel it is the best way to protect your vision.

The procedure involves a local anesthesia applied to the area. Then, the procedure will begin with the placing of a metal probe against the eye. The very tip of the probe becomes very cold. The probe is properly placed in the location of the area of concern. This allows for water crystals to develop. This leads to tissue destruction. Once complete, this encourages healing and then the formation of scar tissue. Depending on the type of concern you have, different methods may be used. The sooner this treatment is applied, the more likely it is to improve or protect vision. It’s important to have a routine eye exam to ensure your vision can be monitored.

Schedule a Consultation with Your Ophthalmologist at Elman Retina Group Today

We have offices in Rosedale, Glen Burnie, and Pikesville, Maryland to meet your needs. To learn more about how retina cryotherapy can help you, contact our offices today for an appointment.