Retinal Detachment
Retinal detachment is a serious condition of the eye in which the retina of the eye tears away from its underlying support tissue. Retinal detachment is a surgical emergency and needs to be treated quickly. Failure to do so can cause permanent loss of vision.
Symptoms of retinal detachment
Retinal detachment is not painful and can happen quite suddenly.
Symptoms include:
- Sudden increase in the number of floaters
- Flashes of light
- A strange dark ‘curtain’ over part of your vision, in the middle or the sides
If you notice any of these symptoms, call emergency services immediately and get treatment. These symptoms could also be for retinal tear, which is when the retina has torn away from the support tissue but has not come loose yet. Retinal tear can be more easily treated, whereas retinal detachment requires a more serious surgery.
Causes and risk factors of retinal detachment
The causes of retinal detachment differ based on the type. There are three main types of retinal detachment:
1. Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment: This is the most common kind of RD; it occurs when the vitreous gel within the eye shrinks as a normal process of aging, but somehow pulls at the retina and causes a tear.
2. Traction retinal detachment: This type of RD occurs when there are scar tissues in the eye caused by an injury, inflammation, or disease (such as diabetes). The scar tissue may pull at the retina, causing a retinal tear.
3. Exudative retinal detachment: This type of RD occurs when injury, inflammation, or disease (such as diabetes or macular degeneration) causes fluid to build up behind the retina. This fluid build-up then adds pressure behind the retina and pushes it out, forcing it to come loose.
Risk factors of developing retinal detachment include:
- Severe nearsightedness
- Advanced age
- Family history of retinal tear or retinal detachment
- Diabetes
- Injury to the eye
- Cataract surgery
Prevention
The best way to prevent retinal detachment is by screening for retinal tears. If any of the risk factors apply for you, make sure to book regular eye screenings for retinal tears. Retinal tears are easy to treat and can be repaired through laser surgery or cryotherapy. Retinal detachment is much more difficult to treat and requires a more complex surgery which may not always work.