Retinal detachment is what it sounds like. Your retina detaches from the back of your eye. Before you panic, let’s review five signs of retinal detachment and how to prevent it. Yes, it can be treated!
The signs
Once again, we want to begin by saying while retinal detachment is a major threat to your sight, it can be treated early. Hence the importance of recognizing signs of retinal detachment and how to prevent it.
For starters, any significant change in your sight warrants an immediate call to your eye doctor. It is always best to err on the side of caution when it comes to vision concerns.
With that said, below are five signs of retinal detachment:
- A heavy feeling in the eye.
- Sudden flashes of light, especially during eye movement.
- More floaters appear in one eye.
- Feeling like a transparent curtain is covering your field of vision.
- A spreading shadow starting in your peripheral vision and moving inward.
If you or someone you know experiences any of the above symptoms, visit your eye doctor right away.
Risk factors and prevention
As previously stated, when retinal detachment is caught early, it is almost always successfully treated. However, before we talk about prevention, let’s look at a few risk factors that could lead to retinal detachment.
First of all, the biggest threat is age. Then there are factors such as family history, eye trauma, infection, eye surgery or even diabetic retinopathy.
Asking yourself what you can do to help? Wear safety goggles or protective eyewear when you are playing sports or doing other activities that could lead to an eye injury.
Finally, visit your eye doctor regularly for comprehensive eye exams that include dilating the eyes.
Summary
Now that you are aware of these five signs of retinal detachment and how to prevent it, contact your local Mississippi Eye Care clinic. Scheduling your annual comprehensive eye examination is a good place to start your new healthy vision routine! Keep reading our blogs for interesting eye facts, more on eye health and other news.
