What is it?
Retinal detachment occurs when the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye, lifts away from the tissue that supports and nourishes it. A detached retina cannot work normally, and the longer it stays detached, the greater the risk of lasting damage to vision.
Symptoms
Common warning signs are a sudden increase in floaters, flashes of light, and a shadow or curtain that spreads across part of the field of vision. The detachment itself is usually painless. Some people notice blurred or distorted vision.
Possible causes
The most common type starts with a tear or hole in the retina, through which fluid passes underneath it. This often follows the age-related separation of the vitreous gel from the retina.
Less commonly, scar tissue pulls the retina away (tractional detachment), for example in advanced diabetic retinopathy, or fluid collects beneath the retina without a tear (exudative detachment).
Risk factors
The risk is higher with increasing age, high myopia (short-sightedness), a previous retinal detachment in either eye, a family history of detachment, previous eye surgery such as cataract surgery, eye injury, and some thinning conditions of the peripheral retina such as lattice degeneration.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis requires a dilated examination of the retina. Ultrasound or optical coherence tomography (OCT) may be used to assess the extent of the detachment and whether the macula, the centre of the retina, is involved.
Treatment options
Treatment depends on the type, size and location of the detachment. Options include pneumatic retinopexy (a gas bubble combined with freezing or laser treatment), scleral buckling, and vitrectomy, in which the vitreous gel is removed and the retina is held in place with gas or silicone oil. Small retinal tears without detachment are often treated with laser or freezing treatment to lower the risk of detachment.
When urgent evaluation may be needed
Seek ophthalmic evaluation the same day if you notice sudden new floaters, flashes of light, or a shadow or curtain over part of your vision. Early treatment can improve the chance of preserving vision.
Follow-up
After treatment, regular examinations confirm that the retina stays attached. If a gas bubble is used, specific head positioning may be needed, and flying or travelling to high altitude must be avoided until the gas has been absorbed.
Information on this website is educational and does not replace an in-person medical examination, diagnosis or individual medical advice.