Retinal Detachment is best described as?

• A. Gradual improvement in vision with increased brightness
• B. Blurred vision due to cataract
• C. Sudden painless detachment with flashes of light and floaters; curtain-like appearance if partial detachment
• D. Inflammation of the cornea

Answer: (C)

Retinal detachment occurs when the light-sensing layer of the retina separates from the underlying tissues, usually after a tear that allows fluid to lift the retina away. The hallmark is a sudden, painless onset of new floaters and flashes of light, with a curtain-like shadow or loss of vision appearing in part of the visual field as the detachment progresses. This pattern of sudden photopsias and floaters with a focal visual field deficit is what distinguishes it from other eye problems. Cataracts cause gradual blur, corneal inflammation brings pain and redness, and none produce the sudden flashes and curtain-like deficit. Because retinal detachment can lead to permanent vision loss, it requires urgent ophthalmic evaluation and usually surgical repair to reattach the retina.