Retinal Tears and Detachment

What is a retinal detachment?

The retina is normally attached to the inside wall of your eye, like wallpaper. A retinal detachment occurs when the retina is separated from the inside wall of the eye. The retina will not function when this occurs.

If the center of the retina, the macula, is involved in the detachment, the vision is often extremely blurred. If the macula is not involved in the area of detachment, there may be some loss of peripheral vision corresponding the part of the retina that is detached.

Is a retinal detachment serious?

Yes. A retinal detachment is a very serious problem that will almost always lead to blindness if not treated.

What causes a retinal detachment?

The center of the eye is filled with a clear gel called the vitreous. As we get older, the vitreous begins to degenerate into a liquid and this causes it to pull away from the surface of the retina. This process, called a posterior vitreous detachment, or PVD, usually occurs without damaging the retina.

But in some cases, the vitreous may pull hard enough to tear the retina in one or more places. As time passes, fluid from the center of the eye will pass through the tear and begin accumulating beneath the retina, causing a retinal detachment. There are some conditions that increase the likelihood of developing a retinal detachment. These include:

  • Myopia (nearsightedness)
  • Prior eye surgery, such as cataract removal
  • Traumatic injury
  • A history of retinal detachment in either eye
  • Family history of retinal detachment

Are there warning signs of a retinal detachment?

Early symptoms of a retinal detachment include flashing lights, new floaters, or a loss of part of the peripheral vision in one eye. These symptoms do not always indicate a detachment is present, but they should be promptly evaluated by your eye doctor. Contact our office for an appointment.

How are retinal tears and detachments treated?

If your eye doctor discovers a retinal tear, it can usually be treated in the office with laser surgery or cryotherapy. Both procedures are done to seal off the retina around the tear and prevent the development of a retinal detachment. These procedures are usually performed with little or no discomfort in the office and are highly successful. There are sometimes circumstances where a tear or retinal hole may not require treatment, or cases where despite treatment, new tears or a detachment occurs.

Retinal detachments require surgery to correct. There are several different techniques, and in some cases, a procedure can be done in the office to repair the detachment.

Pneumatic retinopexy is a procedure that can be performed in the office to repair a retinal detachment. Depending on the characteristics of the detachment, this sometimes can be an ideal treatment that avoids the need for a trip to the operating room. This procedure is accomplished by injecting a gas bubble into the center of the eye, where the vitreous gel is located. The bubble then floats up against the tear in the retina, and pushes the retina back up against the wall of the eye. The tear still needs to be sealed with cryotherapy or laser. The gas bubble will dissolve on its own.

Scleral buckle surgery is performed in the operating room and involves placing a flexible band around the outside of the eye to counteract the pulling force of the vitreous gel on the detached retina. This also involves cryotherapy to seal the retinal tear. The band usually remains in place indefinitely.

Vitrectomy surgery also requires a trip to the operating room and involves the removal of the vitreous gel from the inside of the eye. Laser is used to reattach the retina, and a self-dissolving gas bubble is placed inside the eye to hold the retina in place while it heals. The vitreous does not regenerate, but the eye will function normally without it.

Sometimes these procedures are performed simultaneously or sequentially depending on the particular characteristics of the detachment.

Are there risks to surgery?

All surgery has risks, even those performed in the office. Fortunately, most retinal tear and detachment repair is successful, even if a second operation is required. However, most retinal tears and detachments that are NOT treated will result in permanent blindness. Some risks of surgery include, but are not limited to infection, bleeding, cataract, elevated eye pressure, and recurrence of the retinal detachment.

For more information about retina health and surgery, talk with your EyeHealth doctor.

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Aloha
18345 SW Alexander St,
Suite A
Aloha, OR 97003
(503) 642-2505 see more
Glisan
6701 NE Glisan Street
Portland, OR 97213
(503) 255-2291 see more
Gresham
24601 SE Stark St.
Troutdale, OR 97060
(503) 255-2291 see more
Hillsboro
6111 NE Cornell Rd
Hillsboro, OR 97124
(503) 846-9400 see more
Lake Oswego
9 Monroe Parkway, Suite 160
Lake Oswego, OR 97035
(503) 636-2551 see more
Milwaukie
11086 SE Oak St
Milwaukie, OR 97222
(503) 656-4221 see more
Mt. Tabor
5935 SE Division St.
Portland, OR 97206
503 777-5546 see more
Newberg
2318 Portland Rd, Suite 300
Newberg, OR 97132
(503) 538-1341 see more
Northwest Portland
1955 NW Northrup St
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 227-2020 see more
Oregon City
1306 Division St
Oregon City, OR 97045
(503) 656-4221 see more
Peterkort
9555 SW Barnes Rd.
#100 (1rst floor)
Portland, OR 97225
(503) 227-2020 see more
Providence Portland
5050 NE Hoyt St., Suite 445
Portland, OR 97213
(503) 231-0166 see more
Providence St. Vincent
9135 SW Barnes Rd., Suite 961
Portland, OR 97225
(503) 292-0848 see more
Southeast Portland
10819 SE Stark St,
Portland, OR 97216
(503) 255-2291 see more
Sunnyside
12050 SE Stevens Rd, Suite 100
Happy Valley, OR 97086
(503) 783-3300 see more
Tigard
15298 SW Royalty Parkway
Tigard OR 97224
(503) 227-2020 see more
Wilsonville
29250 SW Town Center Loop W
Wilsonville, OR 97070
(503) 582-0000 see more
Westside Surgery Center
13240 SW Pacific Hwy
Portland, OR 97223
(503) 639-6571 see more
EyeHealth Eastside Surgery and Laser Center
12050 SE Stevens Rd.
Happy Valley, OR 97086
(971) 206-6100 see more

Our Locations

Aloha
18345 SW Alexander St,
Suite A
Aloha, OR 97003
(503) 642-2505 see more
Glisan
6701 NE Glisan Street
Portland, OR 97213
(503) 255-2291 see more
Gresham
24601 SE Stark St.
Troutdale, OR 97060
(503) 255-2291 see more
Hillsboro
6111 NE Cornell Rd
Hillsboro, OR 97124
(503) 846-9400 see more
Lake Oswego
9 Monroe Parkway, Suite 160
Lake Oswego, OR 97035
(503) 636-2551 see more
Milwaukie
11086 SE Oak St
Milwaukie, OR 97222
(503) 656-4221 see more
Mt. Tabor
5935 SE Division St.
Portland, OR 97206
503 777-5546 see more
Newberg
2318 Portland Rd, Suite 300
Newberg, OR 97132
(503) 538-1341 see more
Northwest Portland
1955 NW Northrup St
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 227-2020 see more
Oregon City
1306 Division St
Oregon City, OR 97045
(503) 656-4221 see more
Peterkort
9555 SW Barnes Rd.
#100 (1rst floor)
Portland, OR 97225
(503) 227-2020 see more
Providence Portland
5050 NE Hoyt St., Suite 445
Portland, OR 97213
(503) 231-0166 see more
Providence St. Vincent
9135 SW Barnes Rd., Suite 961
Portland, OR 97225
(503) 292-0848 see more
Southeast Portland
10819 SE Stark St,
Portland, OR 97216
(503) 255-2291 see more
Sunnyside
12050 SE Stevens Rd, Suite 100
Happy Valley, OR 97086
(503) 783-3300 see more
Tigard
15298 SW Royalty Parkway
Tigard OR 97224
(503) 227-2020 see more
Wilsonville
29250 SW Town Center Loop W
Wilsonville, OR 97070
(503) 582-0000 see more
Surgery Centers

Westside Surgery Center

13240 SW Pacific Hwy
Portland, OR 97223
(503) 639-6571 see more

EyeHealth Eastside Surgery and Laser Center

12050 SE Stevens Rd.
Happy Valley, OR 97086
(971) 206-6100 see more