University of Iowa Health Care

Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

EyeRounds.org

Retinal Tear and Detachment

Occasionally the vitreous humor pulls so hard on the retina that it creates a tear. If the tear occurs along a blood vessel of the retina, this may cause bleeding into the vitreous (called a vitreous hemorrhage). Acute retinal tears with or without flashes and floaters pose a risk because fluid can enter through the tear under the retina and lift the retina off, causing a retinal detachment, like wallpaper peeling from a damp wall. When detached, the retina cannot compose a clear picture from incoming images and vision is blurred.

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last updated: 07/29/2015
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