Retinal Detachment

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is retinal detachment? Retinal (RET-i-nal) detachment occurs when the retina in the eye separates from the back of the eye. The retina is a layer of cells that are sensitive to light. These cells line the inside of the eye and send pictures to the brain. The retina cannot work when these layers are not attached. The information from the picture that the brain receives then becomes patchy or may be lost. This means you may have blurred or even a loss of vision (eyesight). Retinal detachment is an emergency that requires surgery. Early diagnosis and treatment is needed to save eyesight and prevent permanent loss of vision.

What causes retinal detachment? Retinal detachment occurs when fluid flows between the linings of the retina. It can happen at any age but is common in people who:

• Are extremely nearsighted (cannot see far away).
  
  
• Had retinal detachment in the other eye, or have another family member who has retinal detachment.
  
  
• Have an eye infection from a germ called virus or bacteria.
  
  
• Had an eye injury.
  
  
• Have other eye diseases or disorders.
  
  
• Had cataract surgery.

What are the signs and symptoms of retinal detachment? You may have one or more of the following:

• Floaters which may appear as spots, cobwebs, strings, or specks when you are looking at something.
  
  
• Flashes of light.
  
  
• Sudden or gradual blurring of vision.
  
  
• Seeing a shadow or a curtain.

How is retinal detachment diagnosed? You may need one or more of the following tests:

• Visual acuity test: Caregivers may first want to test your vision and eye movements.
  
  
• Ophthalmoscopy: This is also called fundoscopy. This test allows caregivers to see the back of the eye using an ophthalmoscope. An ophthalmoscope is a magnifying instrument with a light. Caregivers may use eye drops to dilate (open) your pupil (the dark center part of your eye). This helps caregivers see the back of your eye clearly.
  
  
• Slit-lamp test: This test uses a microscope with a strong light. It allows caregivers to look into your eye using a magnifying instrument.
  
  
• Ultrasound: This is a test using sound waves to look at your eye. Pictures of your eye, including the retina and the area around it, show up on a TV-like screen.

How is retinal detachment treated? Retinal detachment is usually treated with surgery . You may have one or more of the following:

• Cryotherapy: Small holes or tears in the retina may be treated by freezing the area around the hole or tear.
  
  
• Laser surgery: This surgery uses a high beam of light to burn the area where the retina detached. The burned area forms a scar where the retina can be put back into place.
  
  
• Pneumatic retinopexy: This procedure injects gas bubbles into the eye. This creates pressure in the eye to push the retina back into place.
  
  
• Scleral buckling: This is a surgery where a piece of silicone, plastic or sponge is sewn onto the sclera (the white, outer layer of the eye). It is sewn at the place where the retina is detached. This pushes the sclera towards the detached retina to hold them together.
  
  
• Vitrectomy: This is a surgery to remove all or part of the vitreous body which has become cloudy from bleeding or inflammation. The vitreous body is normally a clear gel that fills most of the inside of the eye and helps the eye keep a round shape. This surgery removes the clouded tissues and replaces the volume of tissue taken out with a salt solution to maintain normal pressure in the eye. After the vitrectomy is complete the surgeon then does the scleral buckling procedure and may add gas or silicon oil to help the retina seal in its correct place in the eye.

How do I find more information? Having retinal detachment is a life-changing condition for you and your family. Accepting that you have retinal detachment may be hard. You and those close to you may feel frightened and sad. These feelings are normal. Talk to your caregivers, family, or friends about your feelings. Call or write one of the following organizations for more information:

• American Academy of Ophthalmology
  7424
  San Francisco, CA 941207424
  Phone: 1-415-5618500
  Web Address: http://www.aao.org/
  

• National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health
  202 Vision Pl.
  Bethesda, MD 20892-3655
  Phone: 1-301-496-5248
  Web Address: www.nei.nih.gov
  

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

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