Retinal Detachment Painless Loss of Vision

By Samuel H. Yun, MD

Samuel H. Yun Ophthalmology, PLC

. https://www.yuneyecare.com/

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Retinal Detachment Painless Loss of Vision

What Is the Retina?

The retina is the inner lining neural tissue along the back of the eye that allows you to see. Think of it as the film used in a camera, recording the pictures that you take.

Retinal Detachment

Retinal detachment occurs when the retina peels off from the back of the eye wall. As the retinal tissue has no pain sensors, even when a large retinal detachment occurs, the individual feels no pain at all. The only function of the retina is to convert external stimuli to electric signals. Therefore, when the retina detaches from the back of the eye, most patients often see flashing light from the sides, which eventually leads to a loss of vision in that area and can lead to total blindness.

Causes of Retinal Detachment

Although many causes of retinal detachment exist, the most common cause is aging. As we get older, the vitreous (vi-tree-us) gel inside the eyeball collapses and falls away from the back wall. This process is called posterior vitreous detachment, which occurs in almost 90% of the population. Most vitreous detachments are harmless; however, occasionally the gel can get stuck in one focal point of the retina and ultimately cause a retinal tear. A tear in the retina can subsequently lead to retinal detachment if not treated immediately. Other risk factors that increase the chance of retinal detachment include high myopia (near-sightedness), lattice degeneration (inherent weak areas in the retina), a family history of retinal detachment, a previous history of retinal detachment in the other eye, previous eye surgery, and trauma.

Treatments

Treatments can be divided into in-office procedures or hospital operating room surgeries. In-office procedures include laser therapy and pneumatic retinopexy. Laser therapy can be used when the retinal tear has been found early in the process and the retina is still attached to the back wall. Focal laser therapy creates scars around the tear to prevent further enlargement and detachment of the retina. Pneumatic retinopexy can be used in certain retinal detachments; in this process, a gas bubble is injected into the eye to help reattach the retina to the back wall.

Surgeries mainly involve vitrectomy, scleral buckle, or combination of the two. Vitrectomy uses micro instruments to remove the vitreous gel from the eye and reattach the retina under the guidance of the surgeon. Scleral buckle can be used by placing a silicon implant outside the eye wall to bring the wall toward the retina and help reattach the retina. Your retina surgeon will examine the retina and recommend which procedure is necessary for the best outcome.

Prevention Is Key

As you may have already realized, the key to the best visual outcome is early detection and prevention. If you notice any new sudden onsets of flashes or floaters or any peripheral visual field changes, contact your eye doctor immediately for an eye exam. When a retinal problem is detected early in the process, it is much easier to fix using a less invasive procedure.