Imagine that your eye is like a camera, and the retina is the film. The retina is a fine sheet of nerve tissue lining the inside of the eye. Rays of light enter the eye and are focused on the retina by the lens. The retina produces a picture, which is sent along the optic nerve for the brain to interpret. It's rather like the film in a camera being developed so that pictures can be produced.

What is Retinal Detachment?

The retina is a thin, light-sensitive tissue that covers the inside back portion of the eye. In most cases retinal detachment is caused by the presence of one or more small holes or tears in the retina.

When a retinal tear is present, watery fluid from the vitreous space may pass through the hole and flow between the retina and the back wall of the eye. This separates the retina from the back of the eye and causes it to detach. The detached portion of the retina will not work properly, and there will be a blur or blind spot in the vision.

Who Is Most Likely To Get It?

Retinal detachment usually affects middle aged or shortsighted people, those who have relatives who have had a detached retina, and can also be caused by a blow to the eye. Very rarely does a younger person have a weakness of the retina.

What are the symptoms?

In some cases the sudden appearance of spots, flashes of light or dark spots called floaters. In other cases the person may notice a wavy or watery quality in their overall vision or the appearance of a dark shadow in some part of their peripheral vision. Further development of the retinal detachment will blur the central vision and create significant loss of vision unless the detachment is repaired.

Occasionally, retinal detachment occurs suddenly, and the person will experience a total loss of vision in one eye. Prompt treatment can often minimise the damage to your eye.

What is the treatment?

A detached retina cannot be seen from outside the eye. If you get help early, it may only become necessary to have a laser or freezing treatment. This is usually performed under a local anaesthetic.

Often, however, an operation to repair the hole in the retina will be needed. This is usually done under general anaesthetic and can be repaired with a single operation in most cases. This does not usually cause much pain but your eye will be sore and swollen for a few days afterwards. You will usually need to stay in hospital for two or three days after your operation.

How much will I be able to see after a successful operation?

This depends on how much the retina has detached and for how long. The shadow caused by the detachment will disappear in all cases when the retina has been put back in place. However, if the detachment involves the part of the retina which is responsible for your central vision, this may not recover. The longer this part of the retina has been detached, the smaller the chance that your central vision will recover to its former level. But, if this is the case, you will still have some useful vision left.

What happens after the operation?

After two or three days in hospital you are allowed to go home and encouraged to carry on as usual. In order to help the healing process you may be advised to keep your head in a particular position and not do anything that will jerk your head.

What happens if the retina is not put back in place?

Most people will lose all useful vision if no operation is carried out, or if the treatment is unsuccessful. Occasionally, if the detachment involves the lower portion of the retina, some vision may recover by itself.

Can Retinal detachment be prevented?

In most cases it is not possible to take preventive action. Retinal detachment does not happen as a result of straining your eyes, heavy lifting or bending. However, if you have a family history of retinal detachment and a weakness is found in your retina, preventive laser or freezing treatment may be used.

Am I likely to get one in the other eye?

If you have had a detached retina in one eye, there is only about a one in ten chance of it occurring in the other eye.

What if my sight cannot be fully restored?

Help can be given to help you utilize your remaining vision with a referral to a Low Vision Aid Clinic. There are many varied optical aids such as magnifiers, bright lights, simple magnifying glasses and other equipment which can help you.

Galloway's Society for the Blind can also advise you about the help which is available.