Retinal Tears and Detachments
Both retinal tears and retinal detachments are urgent conditions that should be evaluated immediately.
Retinal tears can be of different shape and sizes. These can occur when the vitreous jelly exerts enough force on the retina to cause it to separate from the back of the eye. If caught early, a retinal tear can be treated with an in-office procedure called a laser retinopexy.
Left: Laser retinopexy can be used to treat a retinal tear. Laser light is applied around the tear, which creates small burn scars that cause the retina to adhere to the back of the eye.
A retinal detachment (shown below) is a condition in which the retina separates from the back wall of the eye. Many retinal detachments result from untreated retinal tears, which allow fluid to get between the retina and the back of the eye. Other causes of retinal detachments can be trauma-related, or due to scar tissue that pulls on the retina.
Some retinal detachments can be treated in-office, while some require surgery.
Learn more about Retinal Tears and Detachments from
the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS)