If any part of the retina is lifted or pulled from its normal position, it is considered detached, and will cause some vision loss.
Retinal detachment can occur at any age, but it is more common in mid-life and later.
It affects men more than women, and Caucasians more than Blacks. It is more likely to occur in people who are extremely nearsighted. Heredity may also play a part since it tends to run in families. The retina normally lies smoothly and firmly against the inside back wall of the eyeball and functions much like the film in the back of a camera. Any tiny tears or holes in the retina can allow fluid to seep under the retina, separating it from the back wall of the eye.