What is a Retinal Tear?

A retinal tear occurs when the retina begins to tear away from its normal position. These can lead to a retinal detachment, which requires immediate retinal tear treatment to prevent vision loss. There is no way to predict a retinal tear.

Retinal tears are often a result of Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD), which is a natural change that occurs as the eye ages. With PVD, the vitreous gel that fills the eye becomes liquid and condenses, eventually separating from the retina. If the vitreous pulls too hard on the retina during this process, it can cause a retinal tear.