﻿ Causes of Retinal Detachment - MedicineNet

Causes of Retinal Detachment

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There are three main causes of retinal detachment, each with its own set of risk factors. The most common type is called a “rhegmatogenous” detachment, and is caused by a tear or hole in the retina. The retina is the thin, light-sensitive tissue that lines the back inside wall of the eye. If the retina tears, thick liquid called vitreous (which fills the back two-thirds of the hollow eyeball) can seep through the hole. The fluid accumulates underneath the retina, causing the retina to peel away from the back of the eye. Risk factors for rhegmatogenous retinal detachments include aging, cataract surgery, thinning of the outer retina known as lattice degeneration, a high degree of nearsightedness (also called high myopia), and head trauma. Let's look at each one of these causes in more detail:

As we age, our vitreous gradually changes from a thick, gelatin-like consistency to a consistency more like egg white. The vitreous is attached to the retina. As it becomes thinner and moves around more inside the eye, it tugs on the retina and eventually tugs free of the retina. This usually occurs between 55 and 65 years of age. If the vitreous is attached tightly enough to the retina, the separating vitreous can pull a tear in the retina, much like pulling a piece of tape off a piece of paper can rip a hole in the paper.

Medically Reviewed by a Doctor on 12/1/2014