Medium urgency
-Moderately severe
The retina is a layer of tissue at the back of the eye. Detachment is the separation from its normal position, usually due to a tear (although it can also occur due to traction or fluid accumulation).
It is more common in people over the age of 40, affecting more men than women and more Caucasians than African Americans. Other risk factors include a family history of retinal detachment, nearsightedness (myopia), eye trauma, previous cataract surgery, and the use of medications such as fluoroquinolones.
Initial symptoms may include seeing dark or irregular "floaters" (myodesopsias), flashes of light (photopsias), and blurred vision. As the disease progresses, the patient often notices a "curtain," "veil," or grayish tint in the visual field. This deficit improves at night and worsens during the day (especially with exertion). Sudden loss of vision may also occur.
Diagnosis is based on ophthalmoscopy and ultrasound.
Urgent consultation with an ophthalmologist is necessary. Possible treatments include laser photocoagulation, cryoretinopexy, pneumatic retinopexy, scleral buckle, or vitrectomy. Some asymptomatic patients or those who do not have high-risk features (visual field loss, decreased visual acuity, vitreous hemorrhage or vitreous pigment on slit lamp examination) may not require initial treatment, but should continue to be monitored closely.
- D'Amico DJ. Clinical practice. Primary retinal detachment. N Engl J Med 2008; 359:2346.
- Cohen SM. Natural history of asymptomatic clinical retinal detachments. Am J Ophthalmol 2005; 139:777.
- Hollands H, Johnson D, Brox AC, et al. Acute-onset floaters and flashes: is this patient at risk for retinal detachment? JAMA 2009; 302:2243.
- Van Overdam KA, Bettink-Remeijer MW, Klaver CC, et al. Symptoms and findings predictive for the development of new retinal breaks. Arch Ophthalmol 2005; 123:479.
- Wolfensberger TJ, Tufail A. Systemic disorders associated with detachment of the neurosensory retina and retinal pigment epithelium. Curr Opin Ophthalmol 2000; 11:455.
- Wilkinson C. Interventions for asymptomatic retinal breaks and lattice degeneration for preventing retinal detachment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2001; :CD003170.
Copyright- Cohen SM. Natural history of asymptomatic clinical retinal detachments. Am J Ophthalmol 2005; 139:777.
- Hollands H, Johnson D, Brox AC, et al. Acute-onset floaters and flashes: is this patient at risk for retinal detachment? JAMA 2009; 302:2243.
- Van Overdam KA, Bettink-Remeijer MW, Klaver CC, et al. Symptoms and findings predictive for the development of new retinal breaks. Arch Ophthalmol 2005; 123:479.
- Wolfensberger TJ, Tufail A. Systemic disorders associated with detachment of the neurosensory retina and retinal pigment epithelium. Curr Opin Ophthalmol 2000; 11:455.
- Wilkinson C. Interventions for asymptomatic retinal breaks and lattice degeneration for preventing retinal detachment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2001; :CD003170.
© TeckelMedical 2026
