Overview
Retinal detachment is a sight-threatening emergency in which the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye (the retina) peels away from its supporting tissue, cutting off its blood and nutrient supply. It causes a sudden shower of floaters, flashes of light and a dark curtain spreading across the vision. Without quick surgery the affected part of the retina can lose its function permanently, so these warning signs must be treated as an eye emergency.
Symptoms
- A sudden increase in floaters (dark spots or strands)
- Flashes of light in one eye
- A dark shadow or curtain moving across the vision
- Blurred vision that rapidly worsens
- Loss of part or all of the vision in one eye
When to see a doctor
This is an eye emergency — go to an eye hospital immediately for sudden floaters and flashes, or a shadow or curtain over your vision.
Emergency — call 108 or go to the nearest hospital
- A sudden burst of floaters and flashes, or a curtain or shadow spreading across the vision — go to an eye hospital immediately to save sight
Causes
A tear or hole in the retina, more likely with high short-sightedness, age, previous eye surgery or injury, and diabetes.