WHAT IS A HOLE IN THE RETINA?
A retinal hole is, as it sounds, a small hole in the retina. The retina is a piece of nerve tissue that lies in the back two-thirds of the eye. It is the tissue that converts light into the electrical signal that the brain can interpret. Two related injuries — tears and holes — are sometimes confused and are often referred to interchangeably. Both injuries are dangerous because the retina lies flat against the back of the eye; when there is a hole or tear, fluid can pass through the opening and cause the retina to lift off of the back of the eye. This can increase the risk of further, more serious damage. Both holes and tears are most often caused by direct trauma to the eye. In these instances, due to outside pressure, the eye is temporarily misshapen, and because the retina is delicately held in place by jelly within the eye, the subsequent pulling from different sides can cause the thin layer of tissue to tear. This type of injury is called a “closed globe injury” (wholly within t
