It almost always causes blindness unless it is treated.Īre symptoms of a detached retina different than symptoms of a torn retina? If any of these fluids passes through a retinal tear, it may lift the retina off the back of the eye like wallpaper can peel off a wall.Ī detached retina is a very serious problem. How does a torn retina become a detached retina? Both treatments are painless and may be performed in your ophthalmologist’s office. Each treatment seals the retina to the back wall of the eye. Laser surgery or a freezing process (cryotherapy). If the retina is torn, it must be treated immediately because a torn retina can deteriorate into a detached retina. That’s why it’s important to see an experienced ophthalmologist for an evaluation if you see flashing lights, lightning streaks or a floater. A floater may be a harmless speck of tissue. Flashes and streaks may be occurring because the vitreous gel is simply rubbing against the retina and no tearing is present.

However, you may experience these conditions and not have a torn retina. Floaters may mean specks of retinal tissue are floating in the vitreous gel.įlashing lights, lightning streaks and floaters are all symptoms of a torn retina. Light flashes and lightning streaks could mean retinal cells are not in their normal position to receive clear, focused visual images. Sometimes, when the vitreous gel pulls away from the retina, it takes a small amount of retinal tissue with it producing a tear. This is a natural change and usually occurs without incident. In doing so, the vitreous will pull away from the retina at the back of the eye. As we get older, this gel changes its shape and size. This is the nerve layer at the back of the eye that senses light and transmits images to the brain.Ī clear gel called the vitreous fills the middle of the eye.

Torn retina