Signs and Symptoms of Retinal Detachment
Retinal detachment is an emergency situation that occurs when the retina tears or detaches from the back of the eye.
Without immediate emergency care, a patient may suffer permanent vision damage or blindness.
If you notice signs of retinal detachment, contact Retina Associates, PA, in Shawnee Mission, KS, Kansas City, Topeka, and nearby areas...
When to Seek Emergency Attention
Retinal detachment is a serious eye condition that requires immediate medical attention. It is usually accompanied by the sudden appearance of:
- Floaters
- Flashes of light
- Shadows in your field of vision
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact an eye care professional as soon as possible by calling (913) 831-7400.
Your doctor can recognize the retinal detachment signs quickly and refer you to one of our greater Kansas City, KS, area offices of Retina Associates, P.A. for further treatment.
Without emergency medical attention, retinal detachment can lead to serious permanent damage or blindness. Our retinal specialists can quickly address this potentially blinding condition at any of our office locations.
Improved Technology = Improved Results
According to the National Eye Institute, "With modern therapy, over 90 percent of those with a retinal detachment can be successfully treated, although sometimes a second treatment is needed."
What Exactly Is Retinal Detachment?
The retina is crucial to your vision. Light entering the eye is focused onto the retina and converted into neural impulses. These impulses then travel through the optic nerve to the brain to provide visual perception.
When part of the retina begins to detach from its supportive tissues, it can no longer function properly. If a portion of the retina fails to transfer impulses, it can compromise the field of vision. If left untreated, the retina will become permanently damaged within 24 to 72 hours because it is no longer receiving oxygen-rich blood from its supportive tissues. Without oxygen, retinal cells can be permanently lost.
A Vision to Be the Best Trust Your Care to Experienced Specialists
As the largest group of retina specialists in Greater Kansas City, KS, we offer multiple professional offices to serve you. Each of our offices is staffed and equipped to provide the highest level of health care service for patients in a comfortable environment.
We use proven therapies to diagnose your condition and protect your sight. Depending on the cause and severity of your symptoms, we might perform advanced laser surgery in the office, or recommend an outpatient procedure at a surgery center or in a hospital setting.
How Retinal Detachment Affects Your Eyes
When fluid builds up behind the retina, the bubble of fluid causes the retina to lose its oxygen-rich blood supply. Quick treatment can help you avoid the permanent loss of eyesight.
What Are Symptoms of Retinal Detachment?
This painless complication is marked by a few distinct symptoms. If you are having any of these symptoms, please have your eye professional contact Retina Associates. We have offices throughout the Kansas City area that can handle these types of medical emergencies, which are covered by a patient's medical insurance. This is not an elective procedure, but medically necessary to save eyesight.
These appear as small dots, strings, or spots in your vision that seem to move around and float within your field of vision. Some floaters are normal, but a rapid increase in them could signal serious problems.
Sudden flashes of light across your field of vision in one or both eyes may indicate that you are experiencing retinal detachment. Flashes happen when you move your eyes side to side or up and down.
If you see a shadow across your vision or a loss of peripheral vision, seek treatment immediately. This shadowing or curtain-like effect means retinal detachment may already be causing permanent damage.
Risk Factors For Retinal Detachment
- You are over 50
- Family history of retinal detachment
- Extreme nearsightedness (myopia)
- Previous eye surgery
- Previous eye injury
- Previous eye disease
The Three Types of Retinal Detachment
There are three primary ways a retina can become detached:
Rhegmatogenous
The most common cause of retinal detachment is rhegmatogenous detachment. It is caused by a retinal tear that allows the vitreous fluid in your eye to collect underneath the retina. The vitreous fluid essentially creates a bubble under the retina that causes it to lose its blood supply and damage your vision.
Tractional
Tractional detachment occurs when the tissues of the retina are pulled apart by fibrous tissue that develops as a result of trauma or inflammation, or retinal conditions caused by systemic diseases such as diabetes.
Exudative
Exudative detachment is much rarer than rhegmatogenous detachment. This type of detachment occurs when blood vessels within or around the retina leak blood and pull the retina from its supportive tissues, but there is no retinal tear. These blood vessels leak because of tumors, autoimmune diseases, congenital diseases, and age-related macular degeneration.
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