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Retinal Detachment: Warning Signs
A retinal detachment happens when the retina separates from the back of the eye. It is painless but serious: untreated, it spreads and takes central vision. A sudden shower of floaters, flashes of light, or a shadow or curtain in your vision should be examined the same day. Dr. Michael E. Rom diagnoses tears and detachments at Insight Eye Center in Mentor and arranges urgent repair.
What is a retinal detachment?
A retinal detachment is a serious event in which the retina — the light-sensitive lining at the back of the eye — physically separates from the tissue beneath it that supplies its blood and oxygen. Detached retina stops working, and the longer it stays detached, the less vision it recovers. If untreated, a detachment spreads toward the central retina and central vision is lost.
Most detachments begin with a small tear. The vitreous gel that fills the eye shrinks with age and can tug hard enough on the retina to tear it; fluid then seeps through the tear and lifts the retina away, like wallpaper peeling from a damp wall. A tear found early can be sealed in minutes; a detachment needs surgery.
Retinal detachment can happen to anyone, but it is more common in people who are very nearsighted, who have had eye surgery or an eye injury, or who have a family history of it.
What are the symptoms of a retinal detachment?
The classic signs are a sudden shower of new floaters, bright flashes of light in the side vision, and a dark shadow or curtain spreading across part of your vision. Straight lines may look curved, and vision may drop suddenly. There is no pain. Symptoms can progress over hours or days — either way they should be examined immediately.
- a sudden increase in floaters
- bright flashes in the periphery
- a dense shadow or curtain across part of the visual field
- a sudden decrease in vision
- straight lines that look curved or bent
- loss of central vision as the detachment spreads
Very impressed! Excellent communication and professional disposition of Dr. Rom and staff. I am very happy with my results. All questions were answered. Highly recommend.Joe W. · patient
What causes a retinal detachment?
Most retinal detachments follow a retinal tear caused by the aging vitreous gel pulling on the retina. Risk is higher with significant nearsightedness, a previous detachment in either eye, a family history, an eye injury, previous eye surgery including cataract surgery, and conditions such as diabetic retinopathy that scar the retina. Severe inflammation inside the eye can also lift the retina.
Retinal detachment is a rare complication of cataract surgery, which is one reason Dr. Rom asks every surgical patient to report new flashes, floaters or a shadow promptly. See flashes and floaters for the warning signs.
- a retinal tear
- significant nearsightedness
- family history of retinal detachment
- previous eye surgery, including cataract surgery
- eye trauma
- diabetic retinopathy or other retinal disease
- glaucoma
How is a detached retina treated?
A retinal detachment requires treatment to save usable vision, and it is treated surgically by a retina specialist. A tear without detachment is sealed with laser (photocoagulation) or freezing (cryotherapy). A detachment is repaired with one or more of: pneumatic retinopexy, in which a gas bubble presses the retina back into place; a scleral buckle, a band around the eye that supports the retina; or vitrectomy, which removes the vitreous gel and reattaches the retina from inside.
Most surgeries to repair a retinal detachment are successful; in some cases a second procedure is needed. After a successful repair, vision takes weeks to months to improve, and may not return to its previous level — especially if the central retina had detached. Dr. Rom diagnoses tears and detachments at the Mentor office and arranges urgent referral for repair.
- Laser / cryotherapySeals a tear before it becomes a detachment. An office procedure.
- Pneumatic retinopexyA gas bubble injected into the eye presses the retina back; positioning of the head for several days is required.
- Scleral buckleA silicone band around the outside of the eye supports the retina from outside.
- VitrectomyThe vitreous gel is removed and the retina flattened and sealed from inside, often with a gas or oil bubble.
Common questions about retinal detachment
Short answers to the questions patients ask most often. For anything specific to your eyes, ask Dr. Rom at your visit or call the office at (440) 286-1188.
Is a retinal detachment an emergency?
Yes. Call the office the same day, or go to an emergency room after hours. The sooner the retina is reattached, the more vision is likely to be restored.
Does a retinal detachment hurt?
No. It is painless, which is why the warning signs — new floaters, flashes and a shadow or curtain in your vision — matter so much.
Can a retinal detachment heal on its own?
No. A detached retina does not reattach by itself and continues to spread. Surgery is the only treatment.
Will my vision come back after surgery?
Most repairs succeed, and vision improves over weeks to months. How much returns depends on how much of the retina detached, whether the center was involved, and how quickly it was repaired.
Can cataract surgery cause a retinal detachment?
Rarely. It is a known but uncommon complication, and it is one reason every patient is told to report new flashes, floaters or a shadow promptly after surgery.
A shadow in your vision? Call today.
For sudden floaters, flashes or a curtain in your vision, call the office now. For anything else, request an eye exam and the office will call to schedule.
