A detached retina is a condition in which part or all of the retina—the thin, delicate layer of nerve cells lining the back of the eyeball—breaks free from the back of the eye and floats inside the eyeball. A detached retina can cause vision problems and blindness.

A retina can detach as a result of an eye injury, inflammation, aging, and some diseases such as diabetes. Surgery can often repair a detached retina and help a person regain normal eyesight.