Retina is a small thin disc-like layer, which is a light sensitive tissue, on the back wall of the eye. It’s job is to translate whatever we see into signals and send them to the brain through the optic nerve. When the retina peels away from the support tissue under it, the disorder is called retinal detachment.

What are its Types?

Types: There are primarily three types of Retinal Detachment:

1. Rhegmatogenous Detachment

   - This type of retinal detachment occurs to due to break or tears in the retina.

2. Secondary Detachment

   - This type of detachment occurs due to inflammation, injury without the tearing or damage of retina.

3. Tractional Detachment

   - This type of retinal detachment occurs when scar tissue on the retina’s surface contracts. This causes the retina to detach from the Retinal Pigment Epithelium.

What are the Symptoms Involved?

• Sudden increase in the number of eye floaters
• Eyes starts feeling heavy
• You may see flashes of light or suffer from Photopsia
• You tend to notice the appearance of a curtain over the field of your vision

Treatments which are Useful to cure this Condition and the Post surgery tips

• Cyropexy

  - This is a process of placing the retina back into its place using laser surgery.

• Scleral buckle surgery

  - This is a process of attaching a synthetic band to the eyeball and pushing it to the wall of eye to attach the retina.

You have to undergo surgery for retinal detachment or else it will lead to loss of vision in the detached portion of retina. Losing part of your vision will affect your lifestyle badly which includes affecting the ability to read, drive, read and other things which you’re used to doing. There are certain tips to follow post the surgery, namely:

• Get special glasses which will rectify the detached vision. Always keep a pair of spare glasses in your car.
• Brighten your home by having proper lights every where for reading, watching T.V or doing any other activity.
• Make your home safer by removing throw rugs and hazardous material within the range of your house.
• Enlist people who can help you out and maintain a list of their names. In emergency situations this will help you out a lot.
• Talk and mingle with people who are having impaired vision. Go through the internet blogs and support groups for impaired vision people.
• Talk to others with impaired vision.

Retinal detachment can be a cause for concern. To learn more about this condition, please read our related article Detached Retina – Causes and Symptoms