Are there different types of retinal detachment?
Yes, there are three types. Rhegmatogenous is the most common, and describes a tear or break in the retina that allows fluid to get under the neurosensory retina and separate it from the underlying retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), the pigmented layer of cells that nourishes the retina. Tractional detachment describes the detachment that occurs when scar tissue on the retina’s surface contracts and causes the retina to separate from the RPE. An exudative detachment is frequently caused by retinal diseases, including inflammatory disorders and/or trauma to the eye. In this form of detachment, fluid leaks into the area underneath the retina, but there are no tears in the retina.
