What is retinal detachment?

  Retinal detachment refers to the separation of retinal neuroepithelium from pigment epithelium, just like the separation of the inner lining of a deflated ball from the outer shell, and can be classified into pore-derived (primary) and non-pore-derived retinal detachment (secondary retinal detachment) according to the cause, and non-pore-derived retinal detachment can be classified into retinal detachment by retraction and retinal detachment by exudation. Patients with high myopia, aphakic eyes, retinal lattice-like degeneration and a history of ocular trauma are prone to retinal detachment. Patients have symptoms such as floating objects, flashing sensation or curtain-like blockage in front of the eyes at the beginning of the disease. As the detachment extends to the macula, the visual acuity decreases to different degrees until only light perception remains. The scope of detachment varies from limited detachment to total retinal detachment.  It is common to hear of people having a “retinal detachment” while playing basketball or swimming, and it is important to go to the hospital for a comprehensive eye examination. Once the retinal detachment is diagnosed, the patient should cooperate with the doctor for surgery as soon as possible, because the earlier the surgery is done, the better the treatment effect. It is difficult to achieve a cure with medication.