How to Prevent Retinal Detachment
Retinal detachment is an injury to the eye caused when the nerve fibers in the back of the eye detach from the eye itself. These nerves are what the brain uses to process vision. Depending on the severity of detachment, you may experience "floaters" over the eye, blurred vision, dizziness or even blindness. The likelihood of suffering a retinal detachment increases as you age, but there are ways to defend yourself against it.
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Instructions
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Eat healthy foods to avoid the onset of diabetes. Retinal detachment is a high risk to individuals with diabetes. If you already have diabetes, take all your prescribed medications in addition to eating a healthy diet.
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Steer clear of head trauma. Car accidents or other events that jostle or strike the head could cause your retina to separate from your eye, so protecting your head will lower your risk of retinal detachment.
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Avoid eye injuries. Retinal detachments happen at a higher rate among individuals with past eye problems. If you are coming off eye surgery or another injury, rest your head, and allow your eye to fully heal. Avoid activity involving the head, as this could jolt your already sensitive retina. Wear eye protection in contact sports to lower your risk for eye trauma that could lead to a retinal detachment.
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If you experience a sudden increase in "floaters" across the eye or other vision irregularities, see your eye doctor immediately. You may have suffered a minor retinal detachment or other injury that could lead to a worse detachment--one that may not be repairable.
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Ask your doctor about your risk of retinal detachment if your family has a history of retinal detachment or if you have severe nearsightedness, such as myopia. He may be able to personalize advice regarding how to avoid a retinal detachment given your particular conditions.
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Tips & Warnings
Surgery or laser correction can correct around 90 percent of retinal detachments, according to MayoClinic.com.
References
- Photo Credit Photo courtesy of eek the cat on Flickr
