At other times, the symptoms are quite obvious, which can include Sometimes retinal tears and holes have no symptoms. There are some instances where retinal holes should be treated the same as retinal tears. Retinal holes are typically smaller and have a lower risk of causing a retinal detachment. While retinal holes develop due to progressive thinning of the retina, retinal tears develop when the vitreous pulls on the retina. The terms retinal hole and tears may often be used interchangeably, but there is a clinical difference. Is there a difference between retinal holes and retinal tears? While retinal tears may occur as a result of eye trauma, most retinal tears occur spontaneously due to a PVD.Īnother cause of a retinal hole or tear is thinning or weakening of the tissues of the retina over time. As the vitreous separates from the retina, it pulls, causing the retina to tear. However, some people inherently have a more “sticky” vitreous. This gel is attached to the retina at birth, but it separates from the retina as we become older, resulting in a posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). The vitreous is a clear gel-like material that fills the space between the retina and the back of the eye. Retinal holes and tears are urgent retinal diseases that can lead to total blindness. However, retinal holes and tears may cause problems if fluid seeps behind the retina.įluid builds up behind the retina, can cause the retina to separate from the wall of the eye, damaging part of the retina. Usually, holes and tears don’t immediately result in serious vision problems. Retinal holes and tears are types of retinal conditions and are diagnosed as small breaks in the retina. When your eye doctor shines a bright light in your eyes, they’re conducting an examination of your eye health, including retinal diseases. Holes and tears that form in the retina significantly increase the risk of many retinal diseases, in particularly retinal detachment, which can cause sudden and total loss of vision. The retina is the thin, inside lining of the eye that is light-sensitive and generates vision. Retinal holes and tears affect over 10% of the population.

Torn retina vision