Vision may take many months to improve and in some cases may never fully return. Unfortunately, some patients, particularly those with chronic retinal detachment, do not recover any vision. The more severe the detachment, and the longer it has been present, the less vision may be expected to return.
Your vision will be blurry – it may take some weeks or even three to six months for your vision to improve.
The rate of progression of a retinal detachment can vary from days to weeks depending on many factors such as patient age as well as the size and the number of retinal tears. Gradual loss of peripheral vision in the form of a shadow, curtain, or cloud (this corresponds to the retina detaching.)
Dr. McCluskey also warns that a retinal tear can progress within 24 hours, though it varies from patient to patient. Therefore, anyone experiencing sudden changes of vision should call their ophthalmologist immediately, even during a weekend.
Symptoms and Signs
This is due to vitreous degeneration and its traction on the retina. Inferior retinal detachments can often be silent and slowly progressive so that the onset of RD goes unnoticed until it reaches the posterior pole.
Peripheral retinoschisis is very similar to retinal detachment, and the two conditions are often mistaken for each other. Therefore, retinal specialists must conduct a very careful examination for an accurate diagnosis.
A retinal tear increases the likelihood of further tears forming and the retina fully coming away from its supporting tissue. It may take years, but the risk increases with time.
If the central vision is still attached, a retina specialist may proceed with treatment within 24-48 hours to repair the detachment before it progresses through the central vision. If the central vision is detached at the time of diagnosis, the surgeon may schedule treatment within the next 7-10 days.
Not all retinal tears require treatment. When low-risk tears are identified in patients who have no symptoms, these tears can be observed without treatment. Some tears “treat themselves,” meaning they develop adhesion around the tear without treatment, and these situations can be followed without treatment as well.
Retinal detachment diagnosis
If you're experiencing symptoms, an optician should be able to confirm whether you have a retinal tear or detachment. They can make an urgent referral to a hospital ophthalmologist for specialist assessment and treatment.
The initial symptoms of a retinal detachment are the same as a retinal tear or a posterior vitreous detachment, i.e. flashes and floaters; however, as the detachment progresses, a dark, opaque moon-shaped shadow or curtain will appear from one side of your vision.
Retinal detachment causes blindness and affects approximately 1 in 10,000.
A retinal detachment can occur at any age, but it is more common in people over age 40 and usually occurs in people 50-70 years old when the vitreous normally shrinks and pulls free from the retina. It affects men more than women, and Whites more than African Americans.
As you get older, the vitreous in your eye may change in texture and may shrink. Sometimes, as it shrinks, the vitreous can pull on your retina and tear it. Other things that can increase your risk of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment are eye injuries, eye surgery, and nearsightedness.
Some people don't get all of their vision back, especially in more severe cases. A detached retina won't heal on its own.
Laser surgery to treat retinal tears
With this procedure, your retina specialist will use a laser to repair the retinal tear by surrounding it, preventing it from getting bigger. It also prevents fluid from getting behind the tear. This treatment has another name — photocoagulation.
The most common signs and symptoms of retinal tears include: Sudden appearance of floaters. Black spots in field of vision. Flashes of light.
If you frequently experience stress you might wonder, can stress cause retinal detachment? The simple answer is no, stress cannot cause retinal detachment.
Flashes in retinal detachment are usually split-second or few-seconds at a time. They can be like streaks of lightning, noticeable especially in a dark room. They can occur randomly at different times of the day. They can be quite alarming.
In addition to the numbing eye drops, you will be given a mild oral sedation, so although awake, you will feel relaxed. Techniques and technology have nearly eliminated the need for general anesthesia.
If your retina has detached, you'll need surgery to repair it, preferably within days of a diagnosis. The type of surgery your surgeon recommends will depend on several factors, including how severe the detachment is. Injecting air or gas into your eye.
A retinal tear is a rip that occurs in the retina of the eye. This happens when the vitreous liquid pulls on the retina. A retinal tear will often go undetected without eye checkups and exams because its symptoms are painless.
If you have a retinal tear, you may need treatment to prevent a retinal detachment — a medical emergency where the retina is pulled away from its normal position. There are 2 ways that your eye doctor can fix holes or tears in your retina: Laser surgery (photocoagulation) Freeze treatment (cryopexy)
Your doctor will give you some eye drops to dilate (widen) your pupil and then look at your retina at the back of your eye. This exam is usually painless. The doctor may press on your eyelids to check for retinal tears, which may be uncomfortable for some people.
Certain factors can increase your risk for developing a retinal tear or detachment: Extreme nearsightedness (high myopia) Previous cataract surgery. Severe eye injury.