Your retina is the tissue in the back of your
eye. Like wallpaper, it’s attached to the inside
of your eye and is designed to lay flat for proper functioning. However, in some emergency cases, your retina
can pull away from its normal position. Like a crack in wallpaper, this sometimes
happens and is called a tear in your retina and can lead to a retinal detachment. A few of the main risk factors for having
a retinal detachment include being nearsighted, having a previous eye injury or eye surgery,
having a family history of retinal detachments and having thin areas in your retina that
can lead to a tear (lattice degeneration). A retinal detachment is an eye emergency that
can cause permanent vision damage if not evaluated and fixed soon. If you see a sudden increase in spots or spider
webs in your vision, known as floaters, or if you start seeing flashing lights (like
a camera flash or a lightning bolt), or if you do see a dark shadow or curtain in your
vision, then you may have a torn or detached retina. If you are experiencing symptoms of a retinal
detachment, make sure you schedule an urgent appointment with your local eye care professional
today.