What is it about ?
The eye is made up of several parts. The eye is covered on the outside with a hard sheath, the sclera or sclera, also often referred to as the “white of the eye”. At the front of the eye, the sclera is extended by a transparent part, the cornea. The cornea is located in front of the iris and the pupil.
The interior of the sclera is covered by the choroid. It is a layer of cells with many small blood vessels (capillaries). They supply the eye with blood and nutrients. The choroid is covered by the retina on which images of what we see are formed. The eyeball is filled from the inside with a dense, gelatinous substance called the vitreous body.
Retinal detachment means that the retina completely or partially detaches from the choroid. As a result, the blood supply to the eye is no longer assured, which has repercussions on vision. This problem is usually caused by a (slight) tear in the retina, which causes vitreous leakage between the retina and the choroid. This fluid causes the retina to detach from the choroid.
Retinal detachment occurs mainly in nearsighted people, after cataract operations, accidents (a blow to the eye, a skull fracture) and in the presence of tumors that cause fluid to accumulate under the retina.
What is its frequency?
Each year, 10 in 100,000 people have retinal detachment. In general, these are people over 60 years old. But in nearsighted people, detachment can also occur earlier.
How to recognize it?
A slight detachment, even with a gradual but slow worsening, can go unnoticed, especially in myopic people. From the outside, you can’t see anything in particular either. At the time of detachment, the person sees flashes of light in their field of vision. She also sometimes sees as moving shadows or dark spots (flying flies). The central vision is the one that we keep the longest. All around, the loss of sight occurs relatively quickly. Result: the field of vision narrows.
How is the diagnosis made?
Based on your symptoms, the doctor will already have an idea of the diagnosis. He will refer you urgently to an ophthalmologist, as urgent surgery is often necessary. The ophthalmologist may examine the inside of the eye with an ophthalmoscope to accurately diagnose the problem: the retina shows small tears, bleeding, and a grayish coloration.
What can you do ?
You can’t do anything in particular. If you see lightning on one side of your field of vision, you need to go to the doctor urgently to find out the cause of the problem.
What can your doctor do?
The treatment is always surgical. The doctor will therefore refer you urgently to an ophthalmology service.
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