Retinal detachment Motunga āhuahua

The most common cause of retinal tears is shrinking of the vitreous (a thick, jelly-like substance within the eyeball that keeps it firm). As the vitreous shrinks, it pulls the retina away from the back of the eye.

Another cause is scar tissue resulting from inflammation. Scar tissue can tug on the retina and pull away from the underlying tissue. This can be a complication of diabetic eye or other eye diseases.

Rarely, fluid can seep out of blood vessels in the eye and cause the retina to detach.

Retinal detachments are painless but serious. Symptoms may include:

• flashes of light — these are most obvious in dim lighting and in your side (peripheral) vision
• sudden appearance of floaters — small, moving spots or specks in your field of vision
• visual disturbance such as shadowing in your side vision or the sensation of a curtain coming over your eye
• blurred, cloudy or distorted vision.

Retinal detachment affects 1 in 10,000 people. You have an increased risk of retinal detachment if you:

• are very short-sighted (myopic)
• have had head or eye injuries
• have already had a retinal detachment in one eye
• have had recent cataract surgery
• have whānau (a parent or sibling) who has had a retinal detachment
• have diabetic eye disease.

You will need to have your eyes examined by your healthcare provider, optometrist or a doctor who specialises in eye care (an ophthalmologist).

They will check your vision and look at the back of your eye.

If your retina has a tear in it but is not fully detached, it may be possible to 'glue' the retina back using laser or freezing therapy (cryotherapy). This may prevent a full retinal detachment. It is a simple procedure done using a local anaesthetic.

If you have a full retinal detachment, you are likely to need surgery to fix it. You will get the best results if it is done as soon as possible.

Your vision is likely to improve after your retina is reattached, but it may not fully return.

The best way to reduce your risk of retinal detachment is to have regular eye examinations. The New Zealand Association of Optometrists recommends healthy adults have them every 2 to 3 years.

If you are older than 65 you should have them more often to make sure any sight-threatening conditions are picked up early, such as:

• glaucoma
• age-related macular degeneration.

If you have any eye problems or are at risk of eye problems, your eye specialist may advise you to have checks more often.

Eye care providers — Healthpointexternal link

If you have diabetes, you should check with your healthcare provider that you are part of the retinal screening programme.