Retinal Detachment - Cause

Cause

Retinal detachment most often results when the vitreous gel, the thick fluid that fills the center of the eye, shrinks and separates from the retina. This is called posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). PVD is most common in people older than 60. But an eye or head injury, eye disease, and conditions such as diabetes can lead to retinal detachment at any age. Nearsightedness also raises your risk of retinal detachment.

Causes of retinal detachment are:

• Tears or holes in the retina. These may lead to retinal detachment by allowing fluid from the middle of the eye to collect under the retina. An eye or head injury or other eye disorders, such as lattice degeneration, a condition in which the retina becomes very thin, may also cause tears or holes in the retina.
• Traction on the retina. Traction pulls the retina away from the layers beneath it. The most common cause of this problem is proliferative diabetic retinopathy, a condition that leads to the growth of scar tissue that can pull on the retina.
• Fluid buildup under the retina. Fluid buildup causes the layers of the retina to separate, resulting in retinal detachment. Fluid buildup may be caused by inflammation or disease in the retina, the layer just beneath the retina (choroid), blood vessels, or tissues in the eye.

For more information and illustrations about the eye and how it works, see eye anatomy and function.