Retinal detachment

Disease description

Retinal detachment is an ophthalmological pathology in which the outer layers of the retina, containing rods and cones responsible for color perception, separate from the deeper layers. This condition is serious and requires immediate medical attention.

Retinal detachment occurs more frequently in individuals with myopia. Patients with diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, and eye injuries are also at risk.

Symptoms indicating the need for diagnosis and treatment

The following symptoms suggest retinal detachment:

• A veil over the eyes (which does not disappear when rubbing the eye)
• Flashes of light in the eye (electrical impulses at the peak of detachment)
• Loss of visual field areas
• Blurred vision and unclear contours

Patients often report that their vision appears sharper upon waking up in the morning than during the day. This occurs because the retinal layers are touching each other in a horizontal position.

Diagnostic and treatment methods

Diagnostic 

According to modern clinical guidelines used in top European clinics, patients suspected of retinal detachment undergo:

• Visometry and perimetry (to assess visual acuity and field of vision)
• Tonometry (to measure intraocular pressure)
• Ophthalmoscopy (to examine the fundus of the eye)
• Ultrasound and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)

Treatment

Retinal detachment always requires urgent microsurgery, which is performed using the following methods: local sealing of the tear (for partial detachment), encircling scleral buckling (for complete detachment), vitrectomy with subsequent replacement of the vitreous body and laser therapy.

Innovations in global clinics

The AI is now used in retinal image segmentation alongside tomography — a unique method that allows for quick detection of detachment and informs the doctor via a special encoded signal. Once flagged, the ophthalmologist reviews the scan again to confirm the diagnosis.