Overview
The retina is the lining of the back of the eye, which allows the eye to see. If a hole appears in the retina it will detach rather like wallpaper peeling off a wall. The retina cannot work when it is detached. The only way to repair the retina is by an operation to find and seal any holes. This may take the form of a simple laser procedure or freezing (cryotherapy) if caught early enough. If the retina is detached, a procedure called a vitrectomy may be required in addition to laser and/or cryotherapy.
Certain symptoms may indicate retinal detachment which , these include the onset of new floaters, loss of vision a shadow or curtain of visual loss, visual distortion, flashes and floaters, blurred vision and / or patchy vision.
Almost all patients with retinal detachments must have surgery to place the retina back in its proper position. Otherwise, the retina will lose the ability to function, possibly permanently, and blindness can result. The method for fixing retinal detachment depends on the characteristics of the detachment. In each of the following methods, your ophthalmologist will locate the retinal tears and use laser surgery or cryotherapy to seal the tear.