Retinal detachment is a serious eye condition that almost always leads to blindness if not treated promptly.

The retina is the light-sensitive tissue that lies smoothly against the inside back wall of your eye. Underneath the retina is the choroid, a thin layer of blood vessels that supplies oxygen and nutrients to the retina. Retinal detachment occurs when the retina separates from this underlying layer of blood vessels. Unless the detached retina is surgically reattached, you may permanently lose your vision in the affected eye.

Screening and diagnosis

Your ophthalmologist can determine if you have a retinal hole, tear or detachment by looking carefully at your retina with an ophthalmoscope, an instrument with a bright light and powerful lens that allows your doctor to view the inside of your eyes in great detail and in three dimensions.

If blood in your vitreous cavity prevents a clear view of the retina, he or she might also use sound waves (ultrasonography) to get a precise picture of your retina. Ultrasonography is a painless test that sends sound waves through your eye to bounce off the retina. The returning sound waves create an image on a monitor that allows the doctor to determine the condition of the retina and other structures inside the eye.