Suspect You Have Retinal Detachment? Warning Signs And Symptoms You Can’t Ignore
Posted by: Cape Fear Retina in Blog
If you are nearsighted, have diabetes, have a family history of the issue, or experience trauma to your eye, you may be at an increased risk for retinal detachments. Read more here.
Retinal detachments occur when the retina is separated from its supporting layers. Comprised of cells and nerve fibers that make up the back of the eyeball, the retina is the light-sensitive, inner coating of your eye. If you are nearsighted, have diabetes, have a family history of the issue, or experience trauma to your eye, you may be at an increased risk for retinal detachments.
In most situations, retinal detachments start simply enough with a tear, and things can spiral quickly from there. Beware! Retinal detachments are nothing to take lightly. They may threaten your very sight.
As The New York Times reported, seeing your optometrist for an assessment and treatment as soon as possible may save your sight. If you experience any of these warning signs, stay calm because they are sometimes signs of other issues, but see an eye doctor to get it checked out.
Warning Sign You Can’t Ignore: Light Flashes in Your Peripheral Vision
Light flashes that appear out of the blue or rapidly increase in severity or occurrence need to be taken very seriously. The flashes may appear to you as zig-zagged lines that can be downright annoying. The Washington Post reported on a case of a man who would have gone blind if he had not gone to the optometrist after seeing light flashes in his peripheral vision.
Warning Sign You Can’t Ignore: Eye Floaters or Cobwebs
Eye floaters are just what the word indicates; they might be appear as spots within your otherwise clear vision. They may also first appear as cobwebs that are taking over parts of your vision. When you try to follow them with your eye, they can simply disappear altogether. In some cases, if you look at a consistently bright background,
Warning Sign You Can’t Ignore: Blurry Vision
If you develop blurred vision, you may find yourself freaking out about the sudden decrease in sharpness to your eyesight. It may seem like your surroundings suddenly lost detail. This blurry vision might occur in just a single eye or both of them. It may cause all objects to appear out of focus when you look at them, or you may just notice the blurry vision when items are close or far away.
Having blurry vision can, of course, be a sign of many things, including diabetes. It also can simply mean you have been staring at your smart phone for a little too long and developed a pesky thing called digital eye strain. Nevertheless, since it may also be a specific sign of a serious eye problem like a retinal detachment, take it seriously.
Warning Sign You Can’t Ignore: Shadows in Your Vision Field
Shadows in your vision may feel a bit like curtains going down over a cinema screen or window. If you experience what seems like a curtain coming down over a part of your vision, don’t just dismiss it. You also may see what appears to be dark shapes transitioning through your field of vision. If you have a rapid increase in eye floaters, that may be a cause for concern.
Finally, keep in mind that you should not ignore any of these symptoms. You also cannot diagnose yourself. A retinal detachment cannot be seen or assessed from outside your eye. An in-depth eye exam from a professional eye doctor is necessary for its diagnosis and treatment.
Whether you fear you have a retinal detachment or another issue that’s causing these warning signs, see an optometrist as soon as possible. Going to the eye doctor on the same day you first experience the issues is preferable. At Cape Fear Retinal Associates , we offer state-of-the-art eye care for preventative measures as well as any medical or surgical treatments you need.
