What is a retinal detachment?
The retina is a thin layer of light-sensitive tissue on the back wall of the eye. The optical system of the eye focuses light on the retina much like light is focused on the film in a camera. The
What is a retinal detachment?
The retina is a thin layer of light-sensitive tissue on the back wall of the eye. The optical system of the eye focuses light on the retina much like light is focused on the film in a camera. The retina translates that focused image into neural impulses and sends them to the brain via the optic nerve.
A retinal detachment occurs when the retina peels away from its underlying layer of support tissue. Initial detachment may be localized, but without rapid treatment the entire retina may detach. This is considered a medical emergency that almost always leads to blindness unless it is treated.
There are different types of retinal detachments.
Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment - This type of detachment occurs due to a hole, tear, or break in the retina that allows fluid to pass from the vitreous space into a space in the retina, causing a detachment.
Exudative, serous, or secondary retinal detachment - These detachments occur due to inflammation, injury, or vascular abnormalities that results in fluid accumulating underneath the retina without the presence of a hole, tear, or break.
Tractional retinal detachment - A tractional retinal detachment occurs when fibrovascular tissue, caused by an injury, inflammation, or neovascularization, pulls the retina from its normal position.
What are the symptoms of retinal detachments?
Flashes of light (photopsia) in the extreme peripheral (outside of center) part of vision that last longer than a few moments
A sudden, dramatic increase in the number of floaters
A ring of floaters or hairs just to the temporal side of the central vision
A slight feeling of heaviness in the eye
A dense shadow that starts in the peripheral vision and slowly progresses towards the central vision
The impression that a veil or curtain was drawn over the field of vision
Straight lines (scale, edge of the wall, road, etc.) that suddenly appear curved
Central visual loss
Please note that although these are symptoms of a retinal detachment, these symptoms do not always indicate a retinal detachment.
What causes retinal detachments?
A substantial number of retinal detachments result from trauma, including blunt blows to the orbit, penetrating trauma, and concussions to the head.
Other conditions make patients more prone to retinal detachments, including:
Nearsightedness (Myopia) above 5 diopters
Previous eye surgeries, like cataract surgery
Previous retinal detachment in the other eye
Family history of spontaneous retinal detachments
Weak areas in your eye that can be detected by our optom