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To learn more about diagnosis or treatment of retinal tears or detachment, click here. If you are nearsighted or have a family history of retinal problems, be sure to have regular, dilated eye exams.Seek an eye exam if you experience any serious eye injury.Wear protective eyewear during sports and other dangerous activities.Know the warning signs listed above and if you experience any, seek immediate care.You can take the following steps to help prevent retinal tears and detachment: What are the symptoms of retinal detachment A sudden increase in number and size of floaters A sudden appearance of flashes of light in one or both eyes A.
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The good news is the success rate for repair of a recent, uncomplicated retinal detachment approaches 90 percent. This is as an outpatient procedure performed by an experienced retina surgeon. Retinal detachments are urgent situations that typically require surgical repair in an operating room. Trauma can also cause vitreous traction on the retina which can lead to a retinal detachment. If a retinal tear is diagnosed early, a retina specialist can often seal the tear with a laser treatment in the office, helping the patient to avoid visual loss. In the vast majority of cases, this separation does not damage the retina, and no retinal tear occurs even though the patient may experience sudden floaters and light flashes. This process is called a posterior vitreous detachment (PVD).
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The vitreous becomes more fluid-like as people age which pulls it away from the retina. This traction can cause a retinal tear which can subsequently lead to a retinal detachment. Retinal detachment occurs when the vitreous jelly pulls away from the retina, and there is a place where the vitreous is tightly stuck to the retina. The vitreous is the clear gel that fills the space between the lens and the retina of the eye. It senses light and sends signals to the brain so you can see. The retina is the layer of nerve cells lining the back wall inside the eye.
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