Surgical and Medical Retina | St. Paul Eye Clinic

Retina

Your retina plays a critical role in vision, converting light into the signals your brain interprets as sight. When the retina is damaged or diseased, it can lead to significant vision changes. At St. Paul Eye Clinic, our retina specialists use advanced diagnostics and treatments to protect and preserve your vision, every time.

What is Retina Care?

Retina care focuses on conditions that affect the back of the eye, such as retinal tears, detachments, diabetic changes, macular degeneration, and other vascular or degenerative issues. Early detection and tailored care help maintain visual function and quality of life.

How do we detect retinal conditions?

We use detailed retinal exams and state-of-the-art imaging to evaluate the health of your retina and surrounding structures. This lets us identify subtle changes early and develop a care plan that addresses your unique needs.

Treatment Options

Retina treatments vary based on the condition and the individual. Some patients find relief with medical management and monitoring, while others benefit from targeted laser therapy, injections, or surgical care. Your doctor will guide you toward the approach that best supports your vision, health, and comfort.

What To Expect

Retina conditions can be complex and may evolve over time. Managing them often involves ongoing assessment and personalized care to preserve vision. We partner with you through evaluation, treatment planning, and follow-up so you feel confident and supported at every step.

You will find care that you will not find anywhere else... Nobody beats St. Paul Eye.

It's a very comfortable group of providers, and I cannot recommend them highly enough.

I'm so grateful for St. Paul Eye Clinic and being able to live without a lot of my tension headaches.

I think since I had my surgery, I've probably recommended it to about three or four people that I know.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between wet and dry AMD?

There are two forms of macular degeneration: dry and wet. In the dry form, small deposits of material, called drusen, develop in the macula, causing mild to moderate decrease in vision. In the wet form, abnormal blood vessels under the macula leak fluid. This can result in severe vision loss. Dry AMD is by far the most common type, accounting for 90 percent of all cases. However, Wet AMD leads to faster vision loss and is the most advanced form of the disease. While wet AMD occurs in only 10 percent of cases, it accounts for 90 percent of legal blindness.

How is AMD diagnosed?

Macular degeneration is typically diagnosed with a dilated eye examination from your eye doctor. Specialized imaging equipment including color photography, fundus autofluorescence, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and angiography may be used in specific clinical scenarios.

What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

People with diabetes can have an eye disease called diabetic retinopathy. This is when high blood sugar levels cause damage to blood vessels in the retina. These blood vessels can swell and leak. Or they can close, stopping blood from passing through. Sometimes abnormal new blood vessels grow on the retina. All of these changes can worsen your vision.

Can Diabetic Retinopathy be prevented?

You can prevent vision loss caused by diabetic retinopathy. Keep your blood sugar levels and blood pressure near normal. This reduces your chance of damaging small blood vessels and decreases your risk of damaging the retina. It can also help slow the progression of retinopathy, if you already have it, and prevent future vision loss. Vision loss and blindness can be prevented with early detection, treatment, and careful long-term follow-up by St. Paul Eye Clinic.

What are floaters?

Floaters look like small specks, dots, circles, lines or cobwebs in your field of vision. While they appear to be in front of your eye, they are floating inside. Floaters are tiny clumps of gel or cells inside the vitreous that fills your eye.

Are floaters dangerous?

Most floaters and flashes are not a problem. However, there are times when they can be signs of a serious condition. Here is when you should call an eye doctor right away:

Many new floaters
Many flashes
A shadow appears in your peripheral (side) vision

These floaters and flashes could be symptoms of a torn or detached retina.

What is the treatment for floaters?

Floaters generally become less bothersome with time and are simply monitored. However, there are situations where chronic floaters are debilitating to patients. These severe floaters can be removed with surgery at St. Paul Eye Clinic.

What is a retinal tear?

A retinal tear is when the retina has a tear or hole, like a rip in cloth. A torn retina often leads to a more serious condition called a detached retina. This is where the retina is lifted away from the back of the eye and is a blinding condition if not treated appropriately. Treatment may involve an in-office laser procedure or surgery.