How Does the Retina Become Detached?
The eye is like a tiny camera, with lenses in the front and film in the back. The film is called the retina. It lines the back three quarters of the eye like an inner tube. The center of the eye is filled with a jelly-like material called vitreous. It is thick during childhood, but later becomes watery. In many cases, the back layer of the vitreous can pull away from the retina, and in some cases, tear it. Fluid can then leak through the tear and allow it to detach from the back of the eye. This causes loss of vision because the retina relies on the back wall of the eye for its nourishment. What Are the Symptoms of Retinal Detachment? When the vitreous gel peels away from the back of the eye, the normally clear fibrous strands clump together and cast shadows, referred to as floaters. When the gel pulls or tears the retina, this stimulates the retina and may cause flashing lights to be seen. Flashes and floaters are the warning signs of a possible impending retinal detachment. Flashes a
