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Retinal tear

Retinal detachment
Synonyms Detached retina
Slit lamp photograph showing retinal detachment in Von Hippel-Lindau disease EDA08.JPG
Slit lamp photograph showing retinal detachment.
Classification and external resources
Specialty Ophthalmology
ICD-10 H33
ICD-9-CM 361
DiseasesDB 11417
MedlinePlus 001027
eMedicine oph/504
Patient UK Retinal detachment
MeSH D012163
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Retinal detachment is a disorder of the eye in which the retina separates from the layer underneath. Symptoms include an increase in the number of floaters, flashes of light, and worsening of the outer part of the visual field. This may be described as a curtain over part of the field of vision. In about 7% of cases both eyes are affected. Without treatment permanent loss of vision may occur.

The mechanism most commonly involves a break in the retina that then allows the fluid in the eye to get behind the retina. A break in the retina can occur from a posterior vitreous detachment, injury to the eye, or inflammation of the eye. Other risk factors include being short sighted and previous cataract surgery. Retinal detachments also rarely occur due to a choroidal tumor. Diagnosis is by either looking at the back of the eye with an ophthalmoscope or by ultrasound.

In those with a retinal tear, efforts to prevent it becoming a detachment include cryotherapy using a cold probe or using a laser. Treatment of retinal detachment should be carried out in a timely manner. This may include scleral buckling where silicone is sutured to the outside of the eye, pneumatic retinopexy where gas is injected into the eye, or vitrectomy where the vitreous is partly removed and replaced with either gas or oil.


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