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Retinal Detachment
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What is Retinal Detachment?

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Retinal detachment is an emergency condition that occurs when the retina separates from the choroid, a layer of blood vessels in the eye that supplies it with oxygen and nutrients. This causes fluid to accumulate in this space, resulting in vision loss, sometimes irreversible.

The retina is a thin, delicate layer of light-sensitive nervous tissue located at the back of the eye. Light passing through the lens of the eye focuses on the retina. Here, they are transformed into electrical signals and these are sent through the optic nerve to the brain.

Behind the retina is the choroid, a vascularised layer that supplies oxygen and nutrients to the retinal cells. The choroid also helps absorb excess light, reduce light scattering and improve vision clarity.

How many people are affected by Retinal Detachment?

A detached retina is a serious eye problem, affecting 1 in 10,000 people each year. It can occur at any age, although it is most common in adults.

Read more Causes and risk factors

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Substantiated information by:

Anna Sala Puigdollers
Joan Giralt

Published: 26 March 2025
Updated: 26 March 2025

The donations that can be done through this webpage are exclusively for the benefit of Hospital Clínic of Barcelona through Fundació Clínic per a la Recerca Biomèdica and not for BBVA Foundation, entity that collaborates with the project of PortalClínic.

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