Retinal Detachment

The retina is a light-sensitive extension of the brain that lines the inner surface of the eyeball. It detects light and converts the image of the external world into electrical impulses that are sent from the eye to the brain for interpretation along the optic nerve.

The retina can be likened to the film of a camera. If the retina is not functioning properly vision can be hampered or even lost.

A retinal detachment can be of two main types:

• Exudative Retinal Detachments occur due to the collection of fluid between the retina and the outer coats of the eye. This fluid may have many origins including inflammation and tumors. When the retina is detached from the coats of the eye, it fails to function properly leading to blurred vision in the area of the detachment.
• Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachments are due to holes that occur in the retina allowing fluid from the vitreous cavity to lift the retina from the outer coats of the eye. These breaks or holes in the retina can be from trauma, high myopia or near-sightedness, or some rare familial eye diseases.