Retinal detachment (2020)

Someone who has suddenly lost their vision or is experiencing a severe deterioration associated with retinal detachment, may become distressed and go to the emergency department or call an ambulance. Retinal detachment is a medical emergency and would require treatment immediately in the hospital.

The patient may be experiencing floaters, that may be accompanied by flashes of light in their peripheral vision (Yorston, 2018). Dots or lines in the vision are defined as ‘floaters’, and may rapidly increase in number (NHS, 2017). While detachment worsens, there may be a corresponding visual field defect, and when the macula detaches itself, the patient will experience symptoms of sudden and severe loss of vision, usually to less than 6/60 (Yorston, 2018).

To fully assess the eye, a trained specialist will be required to examine using an opthalmoscope. Some paramedics are trained to this level, but if they are unavailable, the patient will need to be examined and diagnosed in the emergency department.