Retinal detachment is not dependant on age, but is known to be quite common in younger adults between the ages of 25-50 who are severely near-sighted. A retinal detachment does not occur merely from tears in the retina, which are uncommon, they can occur from injury, trauma to the eye or eye diseases in the eye.

Eye Conditions Causing Retinal Detachment

Eye conditions that are more likely to cause retinal detachment are as follows:

• Cataract Surgery – The surgery removes clouded arts of the lens
• Severe short sightedness (Myopia) – Those that that have a prescription of -5 to -6 have an increased chance of having retinal detachment which is further increased if they have any operation or surgeries to the eye, for example cataracts.
• Lattice Degeneration – This condition is can occur in about 7% of the general population, in which the retina is sometimes stretched thin in the back of the eye and starts to perforate near the edges of the retina. As the name suggest the perforation resembles a lattice pattern. This is common in patients with high myopia as the eyes in these patients are slightly larger than normal eyes. The peripheral vision can be affected in this case as the outside edges of the retina is affected.
• Uveitis – This is a condition where the inner part of the eye has chronic inflammation caused by a virus, fungus or parasite.
• Eye Drops – Certain eye drops used over a period of years can affect the retina and cause retinal detachment.
• Trauma – blunt or sharp trauma to the eye can cause retinal detachment.
• Existing Retinal Detachment – In some cases where there has been a retinal detachment in one eye, the other eye can develop the same condition.
• Inherited Condition – A history of retinal detachment, which is non-traumatic suggest that the condition may be within the family.
• Diabetes – The abnormal blood vessels and scar tissue on the retina can cause retinal detachment if the scar tissue breaks away to expose a hole in the retina.

Related posts:

1. Retinal Detachment
2. Signs & Symptoms of Retinal Detachment
3. How is Retinal Detachment Caused?