RETINAL DETACHMENT RESOURCE CENTRE

The retina is an important layer in the back of the eye, whose function is to absorb and process light that enters the eye, very much like the film which captures images in a camera.

The retina contains millions of photoreceptors called rods and cones.  The rods are found mainly in the outer parts of the retina, and are important for night vision and seeing movement.  The cones are found mainly in the central part of the retina (around a region called the macula), and they are responsible mainly for colour vision and fine vision.

What is Retinal Detachment?

Retinal detachment occurs when there is a hole or tear in the retina.  When this happens, the aqueous humor, which is the fluid within the eyeball, can pass through this tear, and underneath the retinal layer.  This causes the retina to get detached from the underlying wall of the eye.  Vision in the detached part of the retina is severely affected, and is typically seen as a "veil" or "dark curtain" that comes across the visual field.

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