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detachment of retina
, retinal detachment
separation of the inner layers of the retina from the pigment epithelium, which remains attached to the choroid. This occurs most often as a result of degenerative changes in the peripheral retina and vitreous body, which produce holes or tears in the retina ranging from tiny breaks of a fraction of a millimeter to large holes extending
over the entire fundus. The person usually sees flashes of light and then notices cloudy vision or loss of part of the visual field; this may be followed by a sensation of spots or moving particles in the visual field. Retinal detachment is most common in persons over 40, and about two thirds of affected patients are myopic (nearsighted). Trauma to the eyeball, severe contusions, inflammatory lesions, and sometimes ocular surgery such as for a
cataract can also lead to retinal detachment.
Copyright 2007. An Elsevier publication. All rights reserved.
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