Tennessee Retina - Pediatrics
In recognition of Children's Eye Health Month in August, we'd like to highlight our Pediatric Retina subspecialty care at TNR. Dr. Recchia is our pediatric specialist and has been selected by his peers as one of the "Best Doctors in America." He has held leadership positions in the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, and the Nashville Academy of Ophthalmology. To read more about Dr. Franco Recchia please follow this link https://www.tnretina.com/retina-specialists/franco-m-recchia-md
Dr Recchia provides care for hundreds of NICU babies diagnosed with Retinopathy of Prematurity(ROP). Retinopathy of Prematurity(ROP) is a condition affecting premature infants of low birthweight (BW) and young gestational age (GA). It occurs when the development of normal retinal blood vessels, which typically requires a full-term pregnancy for completion, is interrupted by the premature birth. If the disease progresses, scar tissue can grow; this can lead to retinal detachment and vision loss. ROP patients are seen in the hospital and or in our office. https://youtu.be/OyaUpwSYe0w
Another condition we see in our office is Coats' disease. Coats' disease is normally unilateral(affecting only one eye) and more common in males. Typically these patients are otherwise healthy. The retinal vessels form abnormally and are telangiectatic(dilated or broken blood vessels). The telangiectatic growth of vessels causes intraretinal lipid, intraretinal hemorrhages, NVE(Neovascularization Elsewhere), and in more severe cases, it can cause an exudative retinal detachment. Normally we can catch this disease in the earlier to middle stages in which Dr. Recchia can apply laser to the abnormal blood vessels and reduce the abnormal leakage. In the more severe cases in which a retinal detachment has formed, he may perform a vitrectomy(surgery) for repair.
We also want to highlight that August 17th is Coats' Awareness Day in Tennessee. Dr. Recchia's very own patient, Kip Richardson, and his mom, Lisa, worked hard to make this day happen. After Lisa was asked to join the board of the McGovern Coats' Disease Foundation, she and Kip became even more dedicated to the cause, and as a result of their hard work and dedication, Governor Bill Lee declared Tennessee as the fifth state to adopt August 17th as Coats' Disease Awareness Day. Please join us in celebrating this proclamation and help promote awareness for Coats' Disease. To learn more about Coats' Disease and how you can help raise awareness please visit https://www.coatsdiseasefoundation.org .
Also a special thank you and congratulations to Lisa and Kip for this history making accomplishment!
Tennessee Retina also offers genetic testing, which looks at hundreds of genes that may have mutations to cause a variety of retinal diseases, including Inherited Retina Diseases (IRDs). These results may provide information to help navigate decisions that can be made to provide the best care for you and your family member. You can ask your Retina Specialist if genetic testing is a good option for you.
Dr. Recchia currently practices at our Nashville, Murfreesboro and Bowling Green, KY locations. To learn more about Dr Recchia and Pediatric Care at TNR please follow this link https://www.tnretina.com/retinal-care/pediatric-retina
