How do I know if I have a tear in my retina?

Symptoms. A patient with an acute retinal tear may experience the sudden onset of black spots or “floaters” in the affected eye. This can have the appearance of someone shaking pepper in your vision. Flashes of light (Photopsia) are another common symptom.

What does a retinal tear feel like?

Retinal detachment itself is painless. But warning signs almost always appear before it occurs or has advanced, such as: The sudden appearance of many floaters — tiny specks that seem to drift through your field of vision. Flashes of light in one or both eyes (photopsia)

Can you have a retina tear and not know it?

If only a small part of your retina has detached, you may not have any symptoms. But if more of your retina is detached, you may not be able to see as clearly as normal, and you may notice other sudden symptoms, including: A lot of new floaters (small dark spots or squiggly lines that float across your vision)

How can you tell if you have a retinal tear?

A sudden appearance of light flashes, which could be the first stage of a retinal tear or detachment. Having a shadow appear in your peripheral (side) field of vision. Seeing a gray curtain slowly moving across your field of vision. Experiencing a sudden decrease in vision, including focusing trouble and blurred vision.

How can I check my retina at home?

Cover one eye. Hold the grid about 10 inches away from the eye you are testing. Look at the center dot keeping your eye focused on it at all times. While looking directly at the center, and only the center, be sure that all the lines are straight and all the small squares are the same size.

Retinal Detachment Symptoms and Treatment | How Retinal Detachment is Treated

Is a retina exam painful?

Retinal diagnostic exams typically cause very little discomfort. However, the eye drops that are used to dilate the pupils can temporarily cause light sensitivity and blurred vision.

Can a retina heal itself?

When cells in the retina get damaged, they never heal or grow back. It's a devastating fact for the millions who have lost sight due to traumatic injuries or diseases like macular degeneration, retinitis or diabetic retinopathy. But some species, such as fish and birds, shrug off injury to the eye.

Can an optometrist see a retinal tear?

A minor detachment may not be noticeable yet, but your optometrist will see it when examining your retina during a routine comprehensive eye exam. Once the detachment is more severe, patients notice: Obscured vision or shadows at the center or on the peripheral (sides) of the visual field.

How long can a retinal tear go untreated?

A retinal detachment may cause permanent blindness over a matter of days and should be considered an eye emergency until evaluated by a retina specialist. Most retinal detachments occur suddenly and can threaten the central vision within hours or days.

Can you live with a tear in your retina?

If caught and treated early there could be little or no vision loss after the eye heals from being repaired. However, if the center of the retina (the macula) detaches, there is usually some permanent vision loss. If left untreated, a detached retina can cause total blindness.

Can a small retinal tear heal itself?

Can a retinal tear heal on its own? There are some retinal tears that are superficial enough that they do not require treatment. These tears can essentially reattach without posing risks to your health and vision.

What is the most common cause of retinal tear?

Aging is the most common cause of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. As you get older, the vitreous in your eye may change in texture and may shrink. Sometimes, as it shrinks, the vitreous can pull on your retina and tear it.

What can be mistaken for retinal detachment?

Retinoschisis. Sometimes, patients who were told that they have a retinal detachment actually have a condition called peripheral retinoschisis. The reason why the two conditions can be confused is that both feature an elevated retina.

How quickly does retinal tear progress?

The rate of progression of a retinal detachment can vary from days to weeks depending on many factors such as patient age as well as the size and the number of retinal tears. Gradual loss of peripheral vision in the form of a shadow, curtain, or cloud (this corresponds to the retina detaching.)

Can a retinal tear happen suddenly?

Retinal detachment often happens spontaneously, or suddenly. The risk factors include age, nearsightedness, history of eye surgeries or trauma, and family history of retinal detachments. Call your eye care provider or go to the emergency room right away if you think you have a detached retina.

How do they fix a retinal tear?

If you have a retinal tear, you may need treatment to prevent a retinal detachment — a medical emergency where the retina is pulled away from its normal position. There are 2 ways that your eye doctor can fix holes or tears in your retina: Laser surgery (photocoagulation) Freeze treatment (cryopexy)

Is retinal tear surgery painful?

No, you should not feel any part of your retina detachment surgery due to it being performed under local anaesthetic. To ensure no pain, anaesthetic drops will be placed into your eye before you're sedated with an injected drug.

Are you awake for retinal tear surgery?

Retinal surgery is usually painless and performed while you remain awake and comfortable. Advances in technology have decreased the length of surgery making outpatient eye surgery possible. Before the procedure begins, you will be given anesthetic eye drops that numb the eyes.

Is a retinal tear urgent?

Retinal detachment is a potential medical emergency that can be corrected if it is caught early. However, if medical treatment is delayed too long, then it could lead to permanent damage that affects your sight or even causes blindness in the affected eye.

How common is retinal tear?

Retinal tears and holes are quite common. In fact, they're found in about 10% of the population. A healthy, intact retina is essential for clear vision. When a crack develops in this thin tissue, it's known as a tear.

Is a small retinal tear serious?

Retinal tears deprive your retina of oxygen, which can lead to permanent damage and vision loss. However, the small tear can also allow liquid to seep under the retina, which causes detachment.

How soon should a retinal tear be treated?

If your retina has detached, you'll need surgery to repair it, preferably within days of a diagnosis. The type of surgery your surgeon recommends will depend on several factors, including how severe the detachment is.

What is the difference between a retinal tear and a retinal detachment?

They can result in blurry vision, the appearance of flashes, floaters, or spots in the field of vision, a darkening of the vision, or a loss of peripheral vision. The only difference is that retinal tears may not cause immediate symptoms and retinal detachment usually does.

Do flashes always mean retinal detachment?

No, while the onset of flashes and floaters are often related to a Retinal Detachment or a Retinal Tear, it is not always the case and may be due to things like migraines or aging.

What do retinal detachment floaters look like?

Floaters are small dark shapes that float across your vision. They can look like spots, threads, squiggly lines, or even little cobwebs. Most people have floaters that come and go, and they often don't need treatment. But sometimes floaters can be a sign of a more serious eye condition.