retinal detachment - tractional or exudative?

Hi there.

I have an uncle who has retinal detachment. I've been checking out websites and there's seems to be many types of retinal detachment. I would like to clarify which kind of retinal detachment my uncle is having so as to have better knowledge.

He's about 65 years old. Has history of Type 2 Diabetes and hypertension. Last week, he noticed some flashes of lights coming from the corner of his left eye. He didn't think anything of it as he thought it was just due ageing (aging) process.

Then, upon waking up he experienced a sudden loss of vision to his left eye, and feeling of curtains closing too. He says there is no pain in his left eye.

Thank you for your help.

[visionquest]

This is visionquest please read my comments on neesee's page. You will find them very helpful. Everything your uncle described I experienced the same thing. Please find and read the visionquest comments

[Chatterine]

curtain-like loss of vision sounds like it could be a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, which means it is an actual tear in the retina versus say, tractional where fribrous tissue growth is pulling on the retina.  could be combination rhegmatogenous and serous/exudative if fluid from the eye got under the detached retina.  only way to know for sure is by seeing the ophthalmologist for an exam.

[Chatterine]

Your uncle got it checked out promplty once he experienced the vision loss, right?  If not, hop to, because time is definitely of the essence when dealing with retinal detachments.