Possible Retinal Detachment

Possible Retinal Detachment

What is a Retinal Detachment?

When your retina separates from the inside of your eye, it is known as a retinal detachment. Your retina needs to be attached inside your eye to stay healthy and work properly. If it remains detached, it will stop working.
A retinal detachment can be repaired with surgery, but it needs to be detected and in most cases treated quickly, or it can cause sight loss in the affected eye.

What are the symptoms of a retinal detachment?

There are four main symptoms that can be the first signs of a retinal detachment:

• floaters – perception of mobile dots, lines, or haze
• flashing lights – perception of light often seen as recurrent, brief flashes
• a dark shadow in your vision
• blurred vision – reduction in visual acuity/clarity, blurred or distorted vision
• sudden painless and usually progressive loss of peripheral vision

What else might it be?

You may have these symptoms but not have a retinal detachment, but there isn’t a way to tell what is causing these symptoms unless your eye is examined by an expert ophthalmologist.
Migraine, Low blood pressure, Short sightedness can all cause the same symptoms as retinal detachment.

Who gets Retinal Detachment?

It is relatively uncommon effecting 10-15 per 100,000 people. It is commonest in the 60-70yr age group. Certain people are at higher risk e.g. the very short sighted, if someone in the family has had retinal detachment, if there has been a direct injury to the eye, those who have had previous retinal detachment.

What is the Retina?

The retina is a thin tissue, made up of a number of different layers, which lines the back of the inside of your eye. A network of blood vessels under the retina supplies its blood. Your retina is in contact with the vitreous, the clear gel that fills the inside of your eye. The retina processes the light that enters your eyes into signals which are interpreted by your brain to enable you to see things.

What causes retinal detachment?

There are three main causes of retinal detachment.

• Retinal holes and tears
  Most retinal detachments happen because a tear or hole in the retina allows fluid to leak between the retinal layers, causing the retina to detach.
• Scar tissue
  Eye conditions such as diabetic retinopathy can result in scar tissue forming on the surface of the retina and inside your vitreous. This scar tissue can then lead to traction (pulling on the retina), causing a detachment.
• Fluid
  A rare type of retinal detachment happens when fluid from the blood vessels behind the retina leaks between the retinal layers without there being a hole or tear present.

Patient Experience
We know that being admitted to hospital can be a difficult and unsettling time for you and your loved ones. If you have any questions or concerns, please do speak with a member of staff on the ward or in the relevant department who will do their best to answer your questions and reassure you.

Feedback
Feedback is really important and useful to us – it can tell us where we are working well and where improvements can be made. There are lots of ways you can share your experience with us including completing our Friends and Family Test – cards are available and can be posted on all wards, departments and clinics at our hospitals. We value your comments and feedback and thank you for taking the time to share this with us.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
If you have any concerns or questions about your care, we advise you to talk with the nurse in charge or the department manager in the first instance as they are best placed to answer any questions or resolve concerns quickly. If the relevant member of staff is unable to help resolve your concern, you can contact the PALS Team. We offer informal help, advice or support about any aspect of hospital services & experiences.

Our PALS team will liaise with the various departments in our hospitals on your behalf, if you feel unable to do so, to resolve your problems and where appropriate refer to outside help.

If you are still unhappy you can contact the Complaints Department, who can investigate your concerns. You can make a complaint orally, electronically or in writing and we can advise and guide you through the complaints procedure.

How to contact PALS:
Telephone Patient Services: 0300 123 1732 or via email at: [email protected]
Opening times:
The PALS telephone lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.00pm. Please be aware that you may need to leave a voicemail message, but we aim to return your call within one working day.
If you are unable to understand this leaflet, please communicate with a member of staff.

For additional medical advice, if your symptoms or condition worsens:
Contact your GP
NHS 111: Telephone 111
Get help with your symptoms, NHS111: https://111.nhs.uk/
Information to help you manage your health: www.nhs.uk
In an emergency telephone 999

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