Retinal Tears and Detachments

Retinal tears and detachments are conditions where the inner lining of the eye called the retina is damaged.  A retinal tear describes a small break in this lining whereas a retinal detachment describes a much larger separation of the retina tissues.  Aging, eye trauma, eye surgery, or being quite nearsighted may cause retinal tears or detachments.  Symptoms of these retinal conditions are:

- Seeing flashes and/or floaters
- Sudden blurry vision
- Seeing an area of dark vision

An eye exam is very important when these symptoms occur as permanent eyesight loss may occur if the retina problem is not treated in a timely manner.  Various new methods of retinal surgery are used successfully to preserve eyesight but timely treatment is required.