Photo: Dr. Holhoș Clinics
The retina is one of the most fragile structures of the human body, a thin membrane, about 200 microns, that transforms light into an image. When problems arise here, vision can deteriorate suddenly and sometimes irreversibly. “With this interview, I want to tell patients that if they have retinal problems, there is already an emergency,” explains Dr. Teodor Holhoș, ophthalmic surgeon and founder of the Dr. Holhoș Clinics.
For diagnosis, patients go through a series of extremely detailed investigations. Classic optometry tests are complemented by high-precision imaging, performed with devices such as the Optopol Revo FC OCT, which analyzes the thickness and structure of each layer of the retina. “During a basic ophthalmology consultation, we can see microhemorrhages in the retina. We send patients to a diabetologist to regulate their blood sugar and not end up in complex cases, where we struggle for an hour or two to save their sight,” says the doctor.
Retinal operations are performed under the Lumera operating microscope, one of the most advanced instruments in the field, which provides visualization of the posterior pole of the eye through the special 90 diopter lens. However, in surgery, the decisive factor remains the doctor's experience. “The retina is like a sheet of the brain and, basically, from that sheet of 200 microns, by hand, we remove a skin that is 10 microns, with a special forceps, without the assistance of the equipment,” explains Dr. Holhoș during the demonstration. Manual precision is essential: “On the retina, it's 99% the surgeon's hand. I just operate daily. That's why this year we'll already exceed 6,000 operations performed by me.”
In retinal diseases, every minute and every detail counts. And modern technology, combined with surgical experience, makes it possible to save vision even in complex cases.
Article supported by Dr. Holhoș Clinics
