Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
A detached retina occurs when theretina, a layer of tissue that covers most of the back of the eye, separates from its anchored position. Eye trauma is the most common cause, and the symptoms—blurred vision and/or seeingfloatersor flashing lights—are sudden in such cases.
This condition is a true eye emergency and requires immediate treatment to avoid severe vision loss or blindness. An eye examination can identify the injury (and its risk factors) and confirm the need for an interventional procedure to treat it.
Ellen Lindner / Verywell
Types of Detached Retina
The retina is composed of a light-sensitive layer of neural cells that line the inside of the eyeball. Much like a camera, the retina captures light rays and turns them into electrical impulses. These impulses travel along the optic nerve to the brain, where they are converted into pictures.
The retina lies on top of the choroid, which is a vascular tissue responsible for nourishing the retina. Retinal detachment occurs when the neurosensory retina is detached from the retinal pigment epithelium. When subretinal fluid accumulates in this space, a serous retinal detachment occurs.
There are three types of retinal detachment:
Detached Retina Symptoms
Retinal detachment typically involves one eye. While it isn’t common, the condition can happen in both eyes at the same time.Some retinal detachments associated with retinal breaks can occur suddenly. As the retina becomes detached, it doesn’t cause pain, but it permanently affects vision.
Common visual symptoms of a detached retina—which tend to be disturbing but subtle—include:
It might not be obvious that only one of your eyes is affected unless you cover one eye at a time.
You should not expect to feel any pain in your eye due to retinal detachment itself. However, eye pain (as well as head or face pain and bruising) can result from the causative injury.
When a chronic medical condition is the cause of a detached retina, the effects can instead occur gradually.
If you experience any of the symptoms of a retinal detachment, do not hesitate to seek medical attention. Time is of the essence in the treatment of a retinal detachment. Early treatment can improve the chance of restoring your vision.
But some detached retinas occur spontaneously with no recent trigger due to slow changes that affect the eye or certain diseases and conditions:
Risk Factors
Several factors can increase your risk of developing a retinal detachment with trauma or even in the absence of it, including:
What Is an Optic Nerve Pit?
The diagnosis of a detached retina requires a carefuleye examinationand typically involves diagnostic tests as well. These tests allow your healthcare provider to visualize the structures inside your eye so that a detachment, vascular changes, inflammation, or other problems can be visibly seen.
Your optometrist or ophthalmologist willdilate your pupilsusing eyedrops. A binocular indirect ophthalmoscope may be used to obtain a three-dimensional view to examine the inside of your eye.
In some instances, blood may obstruct the view, making it difficult for your retina to be examined. An ultrasound device can be used to look at your eye, especially if there is dense bleeding inside your eye. The ultrasound device produces sound waves that bounce off the back of the eye, forming a picture that helps your healthcare provider see if your retina is truly detached.
This condition requires interventional treatment, and the detachment cannot be repaired with medication. There are several treatment options that can be considered, which should be discussed with your healthcare provider.
The ultimate treatment chosen depends on the type, severity, and location of your retinal detachment. For example, a detached retina may be associated with retinal tears, especially in the context of trauma, and you may need repair of tears along with the repair of your detachment.
Procedures used to repair a detached retina include:
Keep in mind that a procedure to repair a retinal detachment can help you avoid serious vision loss. That said, you may still experience some residual vision loss and your vision might not return to normal, even after a surgical repair.
A Word From Verywell
Retinal detachment is a serious eye condition that requires immediate professional attention. If left untreated, it can cause total vision impairment in the affected eye.
If the early signs and risk factors of a detached retina are identified, however, most detached retinas can be surgically reattached with vision partially or completely restored.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Feltgen N, Walter P.Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment–an ophthalmologic emergency. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2014;111(1-2):12-21. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2014.0012Amer R, Nalcı H, Yalçındağ N.Exudative retinal detachment. Surv Ophthalmol. 2017;62(6):723-769. doi:10.1016/j.survophthal.2017.05.001Williams GA.How common is it to get retinal detachments in both eyes?American Academy of Ophthalmology.American Academy of Opthalmology.Retinal Detachment: Torn or Detached Retina Symptoms.Retinal Detachment: Torn or Detached Retina Symptoms. American Academy of Ophthalmology.Nentwich MM, Ulbig MW.Diabetic retinopathy - ocular complications of diabetes mellitus. World J Diabetes. 2015;6(3):489-99. doi:10.4239/wjd.v6.i3.489Retinal Detachment. National Eye Institute.Kriebel D, Sama SR, Bradbury M, et al.Risk Factors for Retinal Detachment: A Case-Control Study.J Occup Environ Med.2020;62(6):445-451.doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000001867Additional ReadingJosifovska N, Lumi X, Szatmari-Tóth M, Kristóf E, Russell G, Nagymihály R et al.Clinical and molecular markers in retinal detachment-From hyperreflective points to stem cells and inflammation.PLoS One. 2019 Jun 11;14(6):e0217548. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0217548. eCollection.Lee EK, Yu HG.Outcomes of Anti-vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Treatment for Foveal Serous Retinal Detachment Associated with Inferior Staphyloma.Korean J Ophthalmol. 2019 Jun;33(3):228-237. doi:10.3341/kjo.2018.0125.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Feltgen N, Walter P.Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment–an ophthalmologic emergency. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2014;111(1-2):12-21. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2014.0012Amer R, Nalcı H, Yalçındağ N.Exudative retinal detachment. Surv Ophthalmol. 2017;62(6):723-769. doi:10.1016/j.survophthal.2017.05.001Williams GA.How common is it to get retinal detachments in both eyes?American Academy of Ophthalmology.American Academy of Opthalmology.Retinal Detachment: Torn or Detached Retina Symptoms.Retinal Detachment: Torn or Detached Retina Symptoms. American Academy of Ophthalmology.Nentwich MM, Ulbig MW.Diabetic retinopathy - ocular complications of diabetes mellitus. World J Diabetes. 2015;6(3):489-99. doi:10.4239/wjd.v6.i3.489Retinal Detachment. National Eye Institute.Kriebel D, Sama SR, Bradbury M, et al.Risk Factors for Retinal Detachment: A Case-Control Study.J Occup Environ Med.2020;62(6):445-451.doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000001867Additional ReadingJosifovska N, Lumi X, Szatmari-Tóth M, Kristóf E, Russell G, Nagymihály R et al.Clinical and molecular markers in retinal detachment-From hyperreflective points to stem cells and inflammation.PLoS One. 2019 Jun 11;14(6):e0217548. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0217548. eCollection.Lee EK, Yu HG.Outcomes of Anti-vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Treatment for Foveal Serous Retinal Detachment Associated with Inferior Staphyloma.Korean J Ophthalmol. 2019 Jun;33(3):228-237. doi:10.3341/kjo.2018.0125.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Feltgen N, Walter P.Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment–an ophthalmologic emergency. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2014;111(1-2):12-21. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2014.0012Amer R, Nalcı H, Yalçındağ N.Exudative retinal detachment. Surv Ophthalmol. 2017;62(6):723-769. doi:10.1016/j.survophthal.2017.05.001Williams GA.How common is it to get retinal detachments in both eyes?American Academy of Ophthalmology.American Academy of Opthalmology.Retinal Detachment: Torn or Detached Retina Symptoms.Retinal Detachment: Torn or Detached Retina Symptoms. American Academy of Ophthalmology.Nentwich MM, Ulbig MW.Diabetic retinopathy - ocular complications of diabetes mellitus. World J Diabetes. 2015;6(3):489-99. doi:10.4239/wjd.v6.i3.489Retinal Detachment. National Eye Institute.Kriebel D, Sama SR, Bradbury M, et al.Risk Factors for Retinal Detachment: A Case-Control Study.J Occup Environ Med.2020;62(6):445-451.doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000001867
Feltgen N, Walter P.Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment–an ophthalmologic emergency. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2014;111(1-2):12-21. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2014.0012
Amer R, Nalcı H, Yalçındağ N.Exudative retinal detachment. Surv Ophthalmol. 2017;62(6):723-769. doi:10.1016/j.survophthal.2017.05.001
Williams GA.How common is it to get retinal detachments in both eyes?American Academy of Ophthalmology.
American Academy of Opthalmology.Retinal Detachment: Torn or Detached Retina Symptoms.
Retinal Detachment: Torn or Detached Retina Symptoms. American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Nentwich MM, Ulbig MW.Diabetic retinopathy - ocular complications of diabetes mellitus. World J Diabetes. 2015;6(3):489-99. doi:10.4239/wjd.v6.i3.489
Retinal Detachment. National Eye Institute.
Kriebel D, Sama SR, Bradbury M, et al.Risk Factors for Retinal Detachment: A Case-Control Study.J Occup Environ Med.2020;62(6):445-451.doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000001867
Josifovska N, Lumi X, Szatmari-Tóth M, Kristóf E, Russell G, Nagymihály R et al.Clinical and molecular markers in retinal detachment-From hyperreflective points to stem cells and inflammation.PLoS One. 2019 Jun 11;14(6):e0217548. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0217548. eCollection.Lee EK, Yu HG.Outcomes of Anti-vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Treatment for Foveal Serous Retinal Detachment Associated with Inferior Staphyloma.Korean J Ophthalmol. 2019 Jun;33(3):228-237. doi:10.3341/kjo.2018.0125.
Josifovska N, Lumi X, Szatmari-Tóth M, Kristóf E, Russell G, Nagymihály R et al.Clinical and molecular markers in retinal detachment-From hyperreflective points to stem cells and inflammation.PLoS One. 2019 Jun 11;14(6):e0217548. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0217548. eCollection.
Lee EK, Yu HG.Outcomes of Anti-vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Treatment for Foveal Serous Retinal Detachment Associated with Inferior Staphyloma.Korean J Ophthalmol. 2019 Jun;33(3):228-237. doi:10.3341/kjo.2018.0125.
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