The retina is an extremely thin membrane inside the eye, which is divided into two parts: the neuroepithelial layer and the pigment epithelial layer. Under normal conditions, the two layers are tightly packed together so that the retina can have normal physiological functions. When fluid enters between the neuroepithelium and the pigment epithelium, or when the inner layer is pulled abnormally, the neuroepithelium tends to peel off, resulting in retinal detachment. After retinal detachment, the supply of nutrients to the retinal cell layer is interrupted. If the retina is not restored in time, it will atrophy and degenerate, resulting in visual dysfunction and even blindness. Due to the different causes and treatments, retinal detachment is generally categorized into three types: lacunar origin, pulling and exudative. Retinal detachment of lacunar origin requires surgical treatment, retinal detachment of tensor origin can be treated surgically in some cases, and retinal detachment of exudative origin is generally treated with conservative internal medicine. The goal of retinal detachment restoration surgery is to close the hole or release the pull, so that the detached retinal neuroepithelial and pigment epithelial layers can be reattached, thus restoring the retina’s nutrient supply and allowing it to regain function. Successful surgery can restore the retinal nerve epithelium anatomically, but the improvement of visual function after surgery is closely related to the duration of “detachment”. The shorter the duration, the better the outcome. The longer the detachment, the more complex the condition, the more irreversible the retinal atrophy and degeneration, and the less effective the surgery. If the retina has been detached for more than one year, even if the surgery is successful, the visual function is not easy to recover. Whether patients with retinal detachment for several months can be operated cannot be generalized. Patients should go to a hospital as soon as possible for a detailed examination, including visual acuity, visual field, slit lamp, fundoscopy, ultrasound, visual electrophysiology, etc., in order to comprehensively assess the extent of the disease and the functional status of the retina, and to weigh the pros and cons of the decision of whether or not to operate. In some patients, although the central vision cannot be restored after surgery, the peripheral visual field may still be enlarged, which is still important for some patients who are ill in both eyes or have lost sight in one eye. At present, due to the continuous improvement and perfection of surgical methods and equipment, the success rate of retinal detachment surgery is also increasing, which is now more than 90%, and most of the patients can get rid of blindness after timely surgical treatment. Therefore, both doctors and patients should build up confidence and strive for early treatment and the best outcome.