Retinal detachment symptoms

I had a sudden detached retina two years ago. The bottom half of my eye was dark and images above distorted. I got an emergency appointment at Specsavers. The optician spent a good deal of time checking my eye, then arranged an emergency appointment at the Royal Free ophthalmology dept. Although it was a very long, tiring day, I had surgery that evening. Unfortunately the retina detached twice more so four operations in total (the last to remove the oil put in my eye). I still have regular check-ups at the hospital and the sight isn't great but, with glasses for distance and reading, I can manage.

I had exactly the same thing around 20 years ago. I was away from home but rang the optician the minute I got back and was told to go to A&E. It was explained to me as an age thing and in my case instead of a gradual detachment it had all happened at once. Since then I have had a lot of floaters in my eye which often make me think there's a spider or insect nearby but no other effects.

I was diagnosed with PVD about 10 years ago but was never tod I might end up with a detached retina. I have my eyes checked regularly and although I still sometimes suffet with the PVD it has so far not got any worse, I still get floaters and flashes of light occasionally but that's all..

My Strategy: Resolve your health conditions and other life problems from a holistic mindset and approach. “Holistic” means caring for the person as a whole (whole mind, whole body and whole spirit) instead of just as an accumulation of symptoms.

I have had a detached retina in both of my eyes (on different occasions), requiring eye surgery. The early symptoms are flashing lights, unusual floaters (not occasional ones if you have them). It is a medical emergency. If you need treatment and you don’t have it quickly enough, you can lose the sight in the eye. If you have an Eye Hospital within reasonable distance, go to their A&E, otherwise your local A&E.

This may not be totally relevant to the OP post but I would like to share my mother's experience and what I learned from it.

My mother had a retinal detachment. I remember it very well. She asked me about her symptoms one Friday. The best way she could describe it was to say it felt like a black curtain was cutting diagonally across her vision in one eye. At the time neither of us knew what it might be and she left it for the weekend.

By Monday, the black curtain effect was larger and cutting out more of her vision so she made an appointment at the doctor, who referred her immediately to an eye surgeon, the very same day.

Unfortunately for my mum, by the time the surgeon saw her, later on Monday, the retina had detached completely. The surgeon explained to her that while he could reattach the retina, a partially detached retina would be much easier to repair than a complete detachment. She had the surgery to reattach it, but the surgeon warned her that trying to put a completely detached retina back exactly in place would be like trying to position a small pin in a tiny hole with the back of your shoe, or some such words, I don't fully remember. In other words, putting a completely detached retina back in its exact place would be extremely difficult. He said it would have been much easier if the retina was only partially detached, as it would have been on the Friday she mentioned it to me.

She managed to keep her vision, after surgery, but her vision was very impaired. Objects didn't line up correctly in her vision, objects seemed to be slanted and she mostly saw two of everything. It put a stop to her driving, but apart from that, she managed to live with it.

I say this not to cause fear but to mention that if a black curtain seems to cut across one eye, consider it an emergency situation because time is of the essence to get to a surgeon while the retina is still partially in place and not wait a couple of days until the retina has detached completely.

I hope my mum's situation might help anyone who might have this symptom at any time in the future.

I'm really, really hoping that I never experience these symptoms but I know what to do just in case. Fingers tightly crossed.

If you are worried about symptoms, do to A&E. Don't wait. I had one occasion where it was as if a thick white net curtain was covering my eye and another occasion where it was like black rain coming down. I also had a large black floater appear suddenly in the middle of one eye. Each time it was fixed with lasers.

I have had old in both eyes with. Few years in between. The first time I was on holiday in Corfu and got excellent private treatment with Ophthalmologist who wrote a report for hospital over here. Charged 100 Euros. Got it checked out when I got home. Second time was at the weekend and I was lucky to get see by NHS but I had to insist at A and E. Always get it checked because it can lead to retinal detachment if not checked. Have to put up with floaters and now have high eye pressures so monitored for glaucoma and use eye drops. Eyesight is very precious. Hope all is OK with you.

Contacts are bad for your eyes. I had a friend that used to fall asleep sometimes with them still in her eyes and she got detached retinas. And some contacts, they tell you it is alright to sleep with them in. Don't. Wear glasses.

Should be PVD not old.

Yes I've had/got it. Happened almost six years ago. Annoying but your brain gets used to it. Retina still intact. Had to be careful at first but I don't think about it now.

Josie883

Contacts are bad for your eyes. I had a friend that used to fall asleep sometimes with them still in her eyes and she got detached retinas. And some contacts, they tell you it is alright to sleep with them in. Don't. Wear glasses.

I wear them. Have a PVD. If you wear them and look after them properly, it's fine. Millions of people do!

I’ve worn contact lenses for 54 years, all variations. Very uncomfortable chunks of glass back in 1969 that could only be left in for minutes at a time, through hard lenses I’d to sterilise every night, soft ones I left in for a month, to the daily disposables I have now. I’ve always been careful with them and can’t remember having an eye infection since the early 70s.

Yes, I have PVD, but my consultant said that was common in someone as short-sighted as me. He’s never suggested that the lenses might be a factor. I’ll ask at my appointment later this month.

I don't see how contact lenses which are worn externally could possibly lead to PVD.

As others have said go to Eye A&E asap, you need to get this checked with diluted pupil. I’ve had a detached retina in both eyes which started with floaters. I personally feel you cannot take chances with your sight.

I would definitely go to A&E, I had symptoms like yours developed a macular hole and then a detached retina. Best to get it checked out surprised you have not been referred by you optician.

I went to have my second cataract op done, and they told me not to have it because I had PVD….and it would be dangerous.🤷🏻‍♀️ they check me every year.

My older sister had both retinas detach, within an 18 month timeframe. It was similar in that she said a dark patch came over her vision.

I'm not sure of all the details, but she had laser surgery, and she said the worst part was the recovery. She had to lie face down on a special bed (much like a massage table) for 10 days , only getting up for 5 minutes per hour.

She had previous risk factors of quite severe myopia and high blood pressure. The one benefit now, she says, is that they did laser correction on her vision and she no longer wears glasses. I don't know how much they were able to correct her vision, or if it will ever be normal.

A ticking time bomb? You are CORRECT‼️ Do not rely on an Optician - they only want to sell you glasses. You need an Ophthalmologist (surgeon) - immediately.

A detached retina, if not treated immediately, can result in permanent eye vision LOSS. If you fancy that, just ignore it.

Perhaps the one good thing this optician did for you was detect the beginning of a detachment.
Proceed wisely.
USA Gundy

WilliamGautier

My Strategy: Resolve your health conditions and other life problems from a holistic mindset and approach. “Holistic” means caring for the person as a whole (whole mind, whole body and whole spirit) instead of just as an accumulation of symptoms.

Well there you are - that will stop your retina detaching - hooray!

Loobs. I am sorry about your concern over your detachment. I had this just before my 70th birthday. I am now 82. Standing in the kitchen when suddenly something like a black spider “crawled “ across one of my eyes. Then black dots, lots of them. Rang Specsavers who told me to go to hospital. On the advice of my daughter I went to Moorfields A&E. They examined my eye from behind and said it was a vitreous detachment but would need to return as there was bleeding behind the eye. I was given an information leaflet. There was no mention of retina detachment although my symptoms had been similar. When I went back a week or so later the bleeding had stopped and I was also told that the other eye had vitreous detachment but had happened without any trouble. I also read that this can.commonly occur as we get older. In my case the black floaters gradually disappeared. However, when I was sent to a local hospital to be considered for a cataract operation I was given a list of possible complications and I saw retina detachment as a risk. I was told then that an op would improve a little but my risks were greater than the improvement. That was a few years ago and my yearly eye tests haven’t changed significantly. My plan is to steer clear of a cataract op until my eye sight affects my quality of life. Then of course it will be worth the risk. In my case I had relatives who swore by the difference the op had made and were encouraging me to have it done as it is so quick and easy. I know it is but my eyesight is too valuable to take any risk I don’t need to take and once it is done it can’t be undone.

Gundy optometrists here are very well qualified. They are not just all about sales. NHS care pathway is via optometrist or A&E. They can then refer as an emergency to the Eye hospital. Our optometrist has all the same equipment as an ophthalmologist.

Thanks again to everyone for taking the time to reply. I did mention to the optician that I wear contact lenses and have done for years and would that have caused it/be a problem going forward and she said not at all - the two things aren't related. I am now wearing my lenses less simply because I am worried that if the lense does detach, I could end up in A&E scrabbling to get it out of the affected eye (plus being unable to see with just one in after whatever treatment I need). As I said previously, it does seem to have settled down - I no longer get the flashing lights when in the dark - so maybe I will be one of the lucky 80 - 90%.

I’m sorry but that doesn’t work for detached retinas !