Retinal Tear & Detachment – Symptoms, Risk factors and Prevention
What is Retinal Tear?
The retina is the bridge between the light that enters our eye and the images we see.
Retinal Tear are small areas of the retina as shown in the picture below that are torn. This may lead to retinal detachment if not detected early.
What is Retinal Detachment?
When the retina detaches, it is lifted or pulled from its normal position, and this can lead to permanent vision loss.
How do I know if I am having a retinal tear or detachment?
Here are some of the signs and symptoms:
Retinal tears and detachment are painless, and many will not notice it. However, do take note of the above signs and symptoms of such
- Sudden increase or change in size in floaters
- Sudden flashes of light (Eg. Lightning flash)
- Shadows appearing at the side vision
- Curtain covering a portion of vision
It is important to seek immediate treatment for us to act fast in repairing the tear or detachment to prevent permanent vision loss.
What are the causes and risk factors?
As we age, the vitreous gel that fills the eye becomes liquid and shrinks. This is an ageing process and usually does not cause any damage to our retina. However, certain risks of being highly short-sighted can cause vitreous to pull away, leading to retinal detachment
The risk factors include:
- High myopia (short-sightedness)
- Family history of retinal issues
- History of eye surgery/injury
- History of other eye diseases
How are they diagnosed?
Retinal tears and detachment can only be diagnosed through a comprehensive eye examination where the ophthalmologist will be using an instrument to view the inside of the eye. Other diagnostic instruments such as fundus camera, optical coherence tomography or slit lamp will aid in the diagnosis too.
Hence, it is important to schedule an annual check, especially those with the risk factors stated above.
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