Pars plana vitrectomy is the most commonly performed surgical procedure for a retina surgeon. A great deal of understanding about the surgery can be derived from the name of the procedure itself. The vitreous is the gelatinous tissue that fills the largest cavity in the back of the eye, and the suffix –ectomy confers its surgical removal. Pars plana comes from a Latin translation for “the flat part,” fitting for the eye’s anatomic location it represents – the flattest part o

Focal argon laser photocoagulation is a wonderful solitary or adjunct treatment for swelling in the retina due to diabetes, also known as diabetic "macular edema". This treatment may be used alone, or in combination with intra-vitreal injections. Persistent swelling and thickening in the retina compromises photoreceptor function and long-term visual acuity, so the goal is to reduce the retinal thickness to a normal level by any means necessary. ​ Dr. Kavoussi recommends focal

Barricade argon laser retinopexy is an important preventative procedure in mitigating the risk of retinal detachment, one of the most common causes of permanent vision loss. Dr. Kavoussi would recommend this procedure after examining a patient in the clinic and discovering evidence of a high risk retinal finding that may predispose to future retinal detachment. ​ Which retinal conditions are treated with barricade laser? ​ A horseshoe-shaped tear in the peripheral retina i

What is a cataract? We are all born with a clear natural lens in each eye, that rests comfortably behind the iris and focuses light into the back of the eye onto the retina. As we age into the 5th, 6th and 7th decades of life, this lens slowly opacifies as the clear proteins begin to naturally degrade. At this stage, the cloudy lens is referred to as a cataract. The protein degradation and lens clouding can be accelerated by exposure to ultraviolet light. The cataract may pro

What is the retina? ​ The retina is a thin neurosensory tissue that lines the inside rear wall of the eye. It captures light focused from the front of the eye and processes it into signals sent through the optic nerve which connects to the visual processing sites of the brain. In other words, the retina is the first nerve tissue to act as a light sensor in the cascade of receiving and processing images and objects from the visual world. ​ What is the normal retinal position?