Giant retinal tears are large full-thickness breaks in the retina extending over 90 degrees of its circumference. They result from extensive traction on a weakened peripheral retina.
Risk Factors
High myopia, previous eye surgery, trauma, and certain inherited conditions increase the risk. In some cases, tears occur spontaneously in otherwise healthy eyes.
- Often associated with abnormal vitreoretinal adhesion
- Can progress rapidly to retinal detachment
- May be bilateral or recur in the fellow eye
Mechanism
During posterior vitreous detachment, the vitreous may pull strongly on a broad arc of retina, causing it to tear and roll. The large size makes reattachment more challenging than for small tears.
Further Information
Management typically involves complex vitreoretinal surgery, described on the vitreoretinal surgery page. General background on tears and detachments is also provided in Blue Fin Vision® blog resources on vitrectomy and retinal disease.
