Understanding Retinal Tears and Detachments
During the natural degeneration of the vitreous gel in the eye, the sticky vitreous gel normally separates from the surface of the retina. At times, this sticky gel is too strongly adherent to the delicate retina, and failure to separate smoothly from the retina may lead to retinal tears.
If a tear is untreated, fluid seeps through the tear and underneath the retina, resulting in a retinal detachment.
A retinal detachment is a serious condition requiring emergency or prompt treatment to prevent permanent vision loss.
A large retinal tear
A retinal detachment with involvement of the central fixation point (macula) may permanently impair vision.Causes of Retinal Tears and Detachments
Retinal Tear and Detachment Symptoms
Risk Factors for Retinal Tears and Detachments
The most common causes are short-sightedness and increasing age. This is because short-sighted and aging eyes tend to have thinner retinas that are more likely to tear during the process of gel degeneration.
In some people, inherent areas of weakness in their retina (e.g. “lattice degeneration”) may predispose to retinal tears.
Other risk factors include previous eye surgery and eye trauma. Individuals with retinal tears and detachment in 1 eye, or with a family history of retinal tears and detachment are also at increased risk.
When to See an Eye Doctor
Retinal Tear and Detachment Treatment
Laser Treatment for retinal tears: Prompt laser treatment to seal the edges of the tear can prevent retinal detachment from developing. This is typically performed as an outpatient procedure.
Surgical retinal detachment repair: Retinal detachment generally requires surgical interventions such as scleral buckle or vitrectomy to prevent permanent vision loss. The success rate for early repair is significantly higher than for a long-standing retinal detachment. Once the center fixation point of the retina (macula) detaches or once the retina hardens, the outcome of surgery would usually become less favourable.
FAQs
The priority in the treatment of retinal tears is to seal the edges of the tear so that a retinal detachment does not occur. The floaters are suspended in the gel of the eye and are not treated by this wavelength of laser.
Once the retinal tear is successfully treated, the floaters are considered benign and usually require no treatment. Treatment for persistent and troubling floaters may be considered after the retina is stabilized.
LASIK reduces short-sightedness by treating the surface of the eye and does not change the structure of the gel and retina inside the eye. Since retinal tears and detachments are the result of abnormalities in the gel and retina, having had LASIK will not protect you from retinal tears or retinal detachments.
LASIK treats the surface of the eye and the myopic changes within the eye remains even after the myopia has been removed.Retinal detachments should ideally be repaired before the detachment spreads to involve the center fixation point of the eye (macula). In “macula-off” retinal detachments, it may not be possible to fully restore vision even after successful retinal re-attachment.
It is therefore important to diagnose a retinal detachment early before the macula detaches.