Retinal Detachment
By Bjarne Lühr Hansen PhD, MD and Philipp Skafte-Holm MD, Mentor Institute
The retina is attached to the inside of the eyeball. In the case of retinal detachment, acute loss of eyesight arises on the eye in question. Retinal detachment is rare but serious and requires acute treatment at an ophthalmology ward.
Retinal detachment can arise with everyone, but is especially frequent with people who are near-sighted. Retinal detachment arises suddenly and the loss of eyesight is often described as ‘a curtain closing’. The vision becomes blurry or is lost completely. It is important to quickly get into treatment at an ophthalmology ward. Before the detachment of the retina, there may be warning signs like sudden flashes of light, if there is a tear to the retina. If laser treatment is performed immediately around a tear to the retina, retinal detachment can be prevented. If the retina has detached partially or completely, treatment consists of surgery where the retina is put back in place.