Retinal diseases affect the retina — a layer of nerve tissue lining the back of the eye that senses light and sends images to the brain. The central part of the retina is the macula. The macula is responsible for central vision; the remaining retina outside the macula provides “side” or peripheral vision.
The back of the eye is filled with vitreous humor or simply “vitreous”, a gelatinous material that gives an eye its shape. With aging, the vitreous gel may liquefy, collapse, and pull away from the retina in the process called posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). Some patients are susceptible to develop retinal problems at the time of PVD, such as a retinal tear.