{"id":1852,"date":"2026-10-20T08:53:01","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T08:53:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laseristanbulclinic.com\/eye-glossary\/retinal-detachment\/"},"modified":"2026-10-20T12:57:16","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T12:57:16","slug":"retinal-detachment","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/laseristanbulclinic.com\/en\/eye-glossary\/retinal-detachment\/","title":{"rendered":"Retinal Detachment: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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  1. Home<\/a><\/li>
  2. Knowledge centre<\/a><\/li>
  3. Eye glossary A\u2013Z<\/a><\/li>
  4. Retinal Detachment: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment<\/span><\/li><\/ol><\/div>\t\t\t

    Retinal Detachment: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

    Medically reviewed by {{surgeon}}<\/span><\/strong>, {{surgeon’s title and specialty}}<\/span>, on {{review date}}<\/span>. Last updated {{date}}<\/span>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

    \"Retina<\/figure><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
    \n\t\t<\/svg>Definition<\/span>\n\t\t\t

    Retinal detachment<\/strong> (noun)<\/em>: a retinal detachment, or detached retina, happens when the retina, the thin light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye, lifts away from the wall of the eye. A detached retina cannot work properly, so vision blurs or is lost where it has come away. It is a medical emergency: it needs to be seen and treated quickly to protect sight, and it is treated with surgery. At Laser Istanbul Clinic, retinal conditions are managed by Do\u00e7. Dr. Muhammet Derda \u00d6zer (Do\u00e7. means Associate Professor) and Op. Dr. Aysan Bayram.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

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    Retinal detachment: key facts<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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    <\/svg>What it is<\/span><\/dt>
    The retina pulls away from the back wall of the eye, so it can no longer send clear images to the brain<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Warning signs<\/span><\/dt>
    Sudden new floaters, flashes of light, a dark shadow or curtain across part of your vision<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Is it an emergency?<\/span><\/dt>
    Yes. The NHS tells people to call 111 straight away; the American Academy of Ophthalmology says to call an ophthalmologist right away<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Most common cause<\/span><\/dt>
    Age-related changes in the gel inside the eye (posterior vitreous detachment), and eye injury<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Higher risk if<\/span><\/dt>
    You are short-sighted, have had eye surgery such as cataract surgery, have had an eye injury, or have a family history<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Treatment<\/span><\/dt>
    Surgery: laser or freezing for tears, or pneumatic retinopexy, scleral buckle or vitrectomy for a detachment<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Outlook<\/span><\/dt>
    Treatment is successful for about 9 out of 10 people (National Eye Institute); some need a second operation<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Can it be prevented?<\/span><\/dt>
    No, according to the NHS, but spotting symptoms early allows prompt treatment<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Specialist<\/span><\/dt>
    Retina specialist (ophthalmologist); at Laser Istanbul Clinic, Do\u00e7. Dr. Muhammet Derda \u00d6zer and Op. Dr. Aysan Bayram<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
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    What is retinal detachment?<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t

    The retina lines the inside back wall of the eye and works like the sensor of a camera: it turns light into signals that the optic nerve carries to the brain. In retinal detachment, the retina is pulled away from its normal position. The National Eye Institute describes it as the retina being “pulled away from its normal position”, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology explains that a detached retina does not work, which makes vision blurry.<\/p>\n

    The usual chain of events starts inside the eye. The eye is filled with a clear gel called the vitreous. With age the vitreous shrinks and may stick to the retina. When the pulling becomes strong enough, it can tear the retina, and fluid then passes through the tear and lifts the retina off the eye wall. A retinal detachment is therefore often the end point of a tear that was not found or treated in time, which is why tears and detachments are treated as one urgent problem.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t

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    What are the types of retinal detachment?<\/h3>

    There are three types, each caused by a different mechanism.<\/p>

    Type<\/th>What happens<\/th>Typical causes and risk factors<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    Rhegmatogenous<\/strong> (from the Greek for “break”)<\/th>A tear or hole lets fluid pass under the retina and lift it<\/td>Posterior vitreous detachment, lattice degeneration (thin areas in the peripheral retina), high short-sightedness, previous eye surgery, injury<\/td><\/tr>
    Tractional<\/strong><\/th>Scar tissue on the retina’s surface pulls the retina away<\/td>Proliferative diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause; also retinal vein occlusion and sickle cell retinopathy<\/td><\/tr>
    Exudative<\/strong><\/th>Fluid collects under the retina without a tear<\/td>Inflammation inside the eye (such as uveitis), tumours in the eye, abnormal blood vessels, and some general illnesses such as severe high blood pressure<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>

    Most of this page describes the rhegmatogenous type, the one people usually mean by “a detached retina”. Tractional detachments relate closely to diabetes; see Glossary: Diabetic retinopathy<\/a>. Exudative detachments are managed by treating their cause, for example the inflammation or the tumour.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

    Is a retinal tear the same as a retinal detachment?<\/h3>

    No. A retinal tear is a break in the retina. A detachment is when fluid collects through that break and the retina separates from the wall of the eye. A tear can often be sealed with a quick laser or freezing treatment before it becomes a detachment, which is one of the main reasons to be seen urgently when symptoms start.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

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    Retinal detachment symptoms: what does a detached retina look like?<\/h2>\n\t\t\t

    The warning signs usually appear suddenly. The National Eye Institute, the NHS and the American Academy of Ophthalmology list the same group:<\/p>\n\t\t\t