What is a Retinal Tear?

The retina lines the back of your eye like wallpaper.  When the vitreous gel moves within the eye, it can pull on the retina causing a flashing light sensation.  Rarely, it can cause a small tear in the retina.  Unfortunately, the retina sits on its’ blood supply, the choroid, and is only attached to the choroid at the very back of the eye (optic nerve) and the very front (ora serrata).  If a small tear occurs in the retina, the fluid inside the eye can go under the retina, and the retina can detach from the choroid like wallpaper falling off a wall.