Does retinal detachment cause eye pain?

Written by Li Zhen Dong
Ophthalmology
Updated on September 14, 2024
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After retinal detachment, there is usually no pain in the eye. Symptoms include low ocular pressure, blurred vision, and visual field defects, which means seeing things partially or missing a half. In such cases, it is important to actively seek an ophthalmological examination. This includes checking the uncorrected visual acuity, corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, eye ultrasound, and fundus photography. Once diagnosed, it is crucial to undergo surgery as soon as possible. The earlier the surgery is performed, the better the potential recovery of vision. Generally, there is a high possibility of restoring vision after surgery.

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Written by Zheng Xin
Ophthalmology
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Can retinal detachment heal by itself?

Retinal detachment refers to the separation between the neural epithelial layer and the pigment epithelial layer of the retina. Based on its cause, it can be categorized into rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, tractional retinal detachment, and exudative retinal detachment. Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment requires repositioning of the retina and closure of the break. If it is tractional retinal detachment, it is necessary to remove the cause, generally requiring vitrectomy and retinal reposition surgery. Exudative retinal detachment generally occurs due to inflammation or other irritations causing exudation or bleeding in the retina, resulting in detachment, typically without retinal breaks. This type of retinal detachment only requires treatment for the underlying disease, and aggressive treatment of the primary disease can generally lead to a cure. Therefore, retinal detachment must be treated; it cannot heal on its own.

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Written by Peng Xi Feng
Ophthalmology
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Causes of Retinal Detachment

Retinal detachment can be categorized into three main types: rhegmatogenous, tractional, and exudative. Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment is commonly seen in the elderly, highly myopic individuals, those having undergone trauma to the eye leading to the absence of the natural lens or having artificial lens implants, and those with a history of retinal detachment or a family history of the condition, which are risk factors. Tractional retinal detachment is caused by proliferative membranes pulling on the retina. It is observed in conditions like diabetic retinopathy, central retinal vein occlusion, and other ischemic retinal diseases leading to neovascular membranes, or due to proliferative scarring from penetrating eye injuries. Exudative retinal detachment typically occurs in conditions such as Coat’s disease, uveitis, and malignant hypertension.

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Written by Li Zhen Dong
Ophthalmology
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Is vitreous floaters close to retinal detachment?

Floater syndrome and retinal detachment generally have no necessary connection. Floater syndrome is the clouding of the vitreous body. Mild vitreous clouding does not affect vision and manifests as floating objects in front of the eyes. Pathological vitreous clouding that affects vision requires further examination by an ophthalmologist, including an ocular B-ultrasound to diagnose the extent of the vitreous clouding, and proactive treatment should be administered. Retinal detachment generally involves the separation of the retina from the choroid. Once a clear diagnosis of detachment is made, active treatment should be pursued promptly to restore vision as soon as possible. If the treatment is delayed, it can easily lead to retinal atrophy, resulting in the shrinkage of the eyeball.

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Written by Li Zhuo
Ophthalmology
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How many days does retinal detachment surgery take?

Retinal detachment surgery is divided into internal and external approaches. Generally, the surgery takes about one to two hours, or two to three hours. One method involves compressing from the outside of the eardrum, pushing the eardrum inward to reattach the retina, while the other involves operating from inside the vitreous body outward to adhere the retina to the choroid. The recovery time for these surgeries generally reaches a stable condition from one to three months. The duration of the surgery depends on the complexity of the condition; it can be as quick as just over half an hour in simple cases, or up to two to three hours in complex cases. Postoperative vision recovery primarily depends on the duration and morphology of the retinal detachment, as well as the proliferation conditions of the detached retina and the vitreous body.

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Written by Li Zhuo
Ophthalmology
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Treatment methods for retinal detachment

Retinal detachment surgery primarily refers to the treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. There are two methods of treatment: one is external surgery, also known as scleral buckling. This involves using a compressive object to indent the sclera to support the choroid, and then employing cryotherapy to create a sterile adhesion between the choroid and the retina, thus treating the retinal detachment. Another method is internal surgery, also known as vitreoretinal surgery. This procedure involves making three incisions in the flat part of the sclera, removing the vitreous from the inside, flattening the retina with heavy water, and using a laser to create a sterile adhesion between the retina and the choroid. Currently, the surgical treatment for retinal detachment consists of these two approaches: internal and external surgeries.