by Anne Penny

Created on: July 08, 2009   Last Updated: July 09, 2009

A detached retina carries serious implications as, untreated, it can result in total blindness for the eye. It is not a condition that can resolve itself without treatment and any suspected case should be referred to an opthalmologist without delay.

The retina is a light-sensitive, tissue thin layer found at the back of the eye and composed of a number of cell strata. It receives light signals which it converts into neural signals which are then transmitted to the brain by the optic nerve. The actual "seeing" process takes place in the brain. If the retina is damaged, it it is rendered unable to effectively receive and process the light signals it receives and vision is severely impaired.

Retinal detachment occurs when there is separation of the retina from the back of the eye and it is pulled from its normal position. At first, there may be only partial involvement of the retina, but if the condition is left untreated it can spread leading to total retinal detachment. This is an extremely serious progression, leading to eventual loss of vision.

Retinal detachment can happen as a result of a blow to the eye, or severe trauma to the head, as is possible in a motor vehicle accident. Frequently, in such an event, the head comes into abrupt and violent contact with the interior of the vehicle which may cause eye damage along with other injuries. Air bags deploying in an accident have been shown to be responsible for eye injuries, leading to retinal detachment.

If you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, whether or not air bags were activated, you must be alert to the following symptoms of retinal damage:

Floaters. If you experienced floaters previously, you may become aware of a significant, sudden increase in their number. A feeling that a gauze curtain or veil is moving across your eye. You may complain of blurred vision. A strange sensation of flashes of light occurring on the periphery of your vision. Possible loss of sight in the central area of your vision.

Because there are no sensory nerves in the retina, anything affecting it is totally painless; do not wait for pain before seeking treatment.

TREATMENT

There are various options but you must understand that if an accident has caused your retina to actually detach, then loss of vision can only be prevented by surgery. There are currently three commonly used surgical methods, all aiming to bring together the damaged retina and the back of the eye and hold them in position until healing

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