Over a lifetime, about 3 in 100 people will experience a detached retina. That makes it much less common than major causes of vision loss, such as glaucoma and cataracts.
Retinal detachment occurs in about 10-15 per 100,000 people each year. It is most often the result of the retina becoming thinner and more brittle with age and pulling away from the back of the eye.
Rhegmatogenous: This is the most common type and usually happens as you get older. A small tear in your retina lets the gel-like fluid called vitreous humor travel through the tear and collect behind your retina. The fluid pushes the retina away, detaching it from the back of your eye.
Retinal detachment is more common in people age 50 and over. The average age of retinal detachment diagnosis in the United States is 57 for males and 62 for females, according to the American Optometric Association.
Retinal detachment causes blindness and affects approximately 1 in 10,000.
If you have symptoms of retinal detachment, go to your eye doctor or the emergency room right away. Retinal detachment can cause permanent vision loss — but getting treatment right away can help protect your vision.
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.
You will probably need to take 2 to 4 weeks off from work. It depends on the type of work you do and how you feel. You may drive when your vision allows it.
Certain factors can increase your risk for developing a retinal tear or detachment: Extreme nearsightedness (high myopia) Previous cataract surgery. Severe eye injury.
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.
Most of the time, the retina can be reattached with one operation. However, some people will need several surgeries. More than 9 out of 10 detachments can be repaired. Failure to repair the retina always results in loss of vision to some degree.
Symptoms and signs of a detached retina
Another sign is seeing a shadow or a curtain descending from the top of the eye or across your field of vision from the side. These signs can occur gradually as the retina pulls away from the supportive tissue, or they may occur suddenly if the retina detaches all at once.
Some people don't get all of their vision back, especially in more severe cases. A detached retina won't heal on its own.
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.
Living with the effects of retinal detachment can be daunting at first. Treatment is available, but its success can depend on how quickly it happens – and how much damage has already occurred. However, most people live independently with a good level of vision following retinal detachment surgery.
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 simple answer is no, stress cannot cause retinal detachment.
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.)
Retinal examination.
The doctor may use an instrument with a bright light and special lenses to examine the back of your eye, including the retina. This type of device provides a highly detailed view of your whole eye, allowing the doctor to see any retinal holes, tears or detachments.
Retinal tears occur in about 2 percent of eyes at the time of a posterior vitreous detachment. Once there is a tear, fluid can travel from inside the eye to under the retina. The risk of retinal detachment in an eye with a fresh retinal tear is about 70 percent.
Retinal detachment means the retina has separated from the back of the eye. Retinal detachment surgery involves reattaching the retina to the back of the eye and sealing any breaks or holes in the retina. The treatment success rate is high, with around nine out of 10 retinas able to be reattached.
Retina surgery is major eye surgery. Expect the eye to hurt after surgery after the local anesthesia wears off. Much of this can be relieved with pain medicine. We strongly encourage the use of pain medicine every 4-6 hours after surgery unless there is a contraindication.
Retinal detachment is not recurrent (False).
Retinal detachment involves a high likelihood of recurrence. Several surgeries may be needed for recurrent tears or detachments.