Retinal Tear
A retinal tear is a condition where the surface of the retina has torn. This is usually a result of a posterior vitreous detachment where the vitreous has become too adherent to the retina and as it pulls away from the retina, it pulls hard enough to cause a tear or a hole in the retina itself. In some cases, fluid may leak under the retina and the accumulation of this fluid can cause a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, where the retina is pulled off it's underlying supporting tissue. These tears can usually be repaired with laser treatment or cryotherapy (freezing) which seals off the tear and does not allow fluid to accumulate under the retina.
Retinal Detachment
Retinal detachments occur for a number of reasons. There are three types of retinal detachment:
- Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment - A rhegmatogenous retinal detachment accompanies a hole, tear, or break in the retina. The break on theretina allows fluid to pass to get underneath the retina and occupy a space between the sensory retina and the retinal pigment epithelium.
- Exudative, serous, or secondary retinal detachment - An exudative retinal detachment occurs due to inflammation, injury or vascular abnormalities that results in fluid accumulating underneath the retina without the presence of a hole, tear, or break.
- Tractional retinal detachment - A tractional retinal detachment occurs when tissue, caused by an injury, inflammation or neovascularization (new blood vessel formation), or vitreous pulls the sensory retina from the retinal pigment epithelium.
Reattachment of a retina requires surgical intervention.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a retinal tear or detachment include:
- flashes of light (photopsia) - very brief in the extreme peripheral (outside of center) part of vision
- a sudden dramatic increase in the number of floaters
- a ring of floaters or hairs just to the temporal side of the central vision
- a slight feeling of heaviness in the eye
- a dense shadow that starts in the peripheral vision and slowly progresses towards the central vision
- the impression that a veil or curtain was drawn over the field of vision
- straight lines (scale, edge of the wall, road, etc.) that suddenly appear curved (positive Amsler grid test)
- central visual loss
In any of these cases, it is imperative that you seak medical attention.
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