Symptoms of a Retinal Tear or Detachment?

/ Stonewire Optometry /
large macula off retinal detachment in right eye with fold and large corresponding floater

A retinal detachment is one of a few true ocular emergencies that optometrist see on a regular basis.

Because retinal detachments can occur to patients of any age, and without warning, we believe it's important that you know the signs of symptoms to watch out for. 

What is a Retinal Detachment? 

As the name implies, it involves the retina or sensory layer of the eye detaching from the underlying structure. This detachment can happen suddenly or develop slowly over a number of days, weeks, or months. 

What Are Symptoms of a Retinal Detachment? 

A retinal detachment often includes a new or an increased number of floaters or cobwebs within your vision. These floaters do not come and go, but instead, they might grow in size and frequency. You might initially mistake the floater for a fly or bug. They are also usually best seen when looking at a bright white background because you're really seeing a shadow of the floater being projected onto the retina. 

These floaters or cobwebs can also cause sudden flashes of light (an indication that something is pulling on the retina), which is often better seen in lower light and noted by patients more often in the evenings. 

Some patients report seeing a change in their colour perception, with items seeming dim or dull. You can check this by simply alternating covering one eye at a time with your hand. 

Retinal detachments are painless, so don't expect your eye to ache and throb. There are no pain sensors within your eye. Retinal disease is a painless disease. 

The #1 symptom of a retinal detachment is .....

....when you feel like something is blocking a portion of your vision. Usually described as the ‘curtain’ effect, this blockage can occur suddenly or over a few days and is a sign that things are progressing. 

5-Common Causes for Why You Might Have a Retinal Detachment:

Risk #1: Age - Retinal detachments are more common in people over the age of 50.

graph showing the relative risk of retinal detachment based on age and prescription. in general people over the age of 50 regardless of their prescription are at risk of a retianal tear or detachment.
 

Risk # 2: High Nearsightedness or Myopia - Retinal detachments are more common in people with prescriptions greater than -5.00D

The risk of retinal detachment increase with myopia. You are 3.1 times more likely to have a retinal detachment if your prescription is -2.00D or greater . You are 9 times more likely to have a retinal detachment if your prescription is -5.00 diopte…
 

Risk #3: Previous retinal detachment - Anyone who has already experienced a retinal detachment has about a 15% risk of developing a retinal detachment again. For simplicity, we say there is about a 1 in 5 chance of reoccurrence.

Risk #4: New Floaters or Flashes - Anyone with new symptoms should be examined by an optometrist right away, but the reality is that 80% of the time we don’t find anything. This doesn’t mean though that you are out of the woods. You still have about a 1 in 5 chance of developing a retinal tear or detachment in the next 6-weeks.

Risk #5: Cataract Surgery - Cataract surgery is one of the safest eye care procedures, but it’s not without risk. It’s estimated that 1% of patients may experience a retinal tear or detachment after undergoing this operation in the first 5-years after the procedure. The risk is slightly higher in patients with high myopia or nearsightedness, or where trauma was involved in causing the cataract formation.

What Should I Do if I Think I’m Having a Retinal Detachment? 

Whenever you notice a sudden change in your vision or feel like something is off, call our office right away.

Retinal detachments are considered a medical emergency requiring urgent diagnosis and treatment to repair the retina before extensive damage occurs. It’s critical that if you should ever notice any of the above signs or symptoms that you see a Stonewire optometrist as soon as possible. Do not wait to see if your symptoms improve.  

Call our office directly @ 780.628.6886

DO NOT BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT ONLINE
Our current online booking system has a 2-hour delay 

If Retinal Detachments are an Emergency, Shouldn’t I go to the Hospital?

About 80-85% of the time, your symptoms may not be from a retinal tear or detachment, but signs of PVD or posterior vitreal detachment. The other problem is that the ER doctors are unable to make the diagnosis, and must instead request a consultation from the on-call ophthalmologist. Depending on how busy the eye clinic is, this consultation can take a long time.

By seeing one of our optometrists instead, we can determine the correct diagnosis and book you a time at the Royal Alex eye clinic with the opthalmologist or retinal specialist, saving you a trip to the emergency room and speeding up the process.

What to Expect During Your Appointment. 

The optometrist will perform a detailed eye health exam including a dilated retinal examination, looking for signs of a retinal detachment. They may run a visual field test, perform digital retinal imaging with our optos ultra-widefield imaging equipment and OCT imaging to better aid in detecting subtle detachments. 

Once diagnosed our clinic will arrange an appointment for you to see an Alberta retinal specialist in the eye care clinic at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. This appointment will either be the same day or early the following morning depending on the location or type of retinal detachment you have. 

  • What if it's not a retinal detachment?

    • That's Great!

    • Your optometrist may also conclude that you do not have a retinal detachment, but instead, you may have what we call a posterior vitreal detachment or PVD. A PVD is a harmless retinal change seen in almost everyone at some point and is a natural change that occurs over time. The signs and symptoms of a PVD are almost identical to that of a retinal detachment. Although a PVD is not serious and does not require surgical intervention in most cases, patients are still educated to be vigilant for the signs of a retinal detachment. Should your symptoms change, we would ask that you return to our clinic immediately.

    • Most of the time, we will reschedule you for a follow-up visit in about 6-weeks to ensure that your retinal health is stable. This is because you still have about a 15% or ~ 1 in 5 chance of developing a retinal tear or detachment at this time.  

How to Prepare for Retinal Detachment Surgery

In some cases, invasive retinal surgery may be required to repair your retinal detachment. As such, it's important to have an empty stomach to allow the retinal specialists to perform the procedure as soon as possible. Ideally, we do not want you to eat or drink anything, including water for at least eight hours before your surgery time. Because time is of the essence in most cases, waiting for food to clear your system may result in further retinal damage and vision loss. 

Did you know? Emergency eye care services are covered by Alberta Health Care.

If you should ever notice a sudden change in your vision, please call Stonewire Optometry in Kingsway Mall immediately. 

Image Via: Retinagallery.com