high myopia and retinal detachment

Hi,

My opthamologist detected a small retinal tear in my eye last week.  It was lasered and I seem fine.  However, I feel really terrified that I will have a retinal detachment.  It has gotten me quite depressed.  With a retinal tear, high myopia, and an uncle who has had a retinal detachment, I feel like a retinal detachment will be unavoidable for me?  Is that true?  What are the percentages?  Thanks.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Unchill. The odds are heavily in favor of NOT getting one. The average risk of a RD is one in 4000 to 5000. With your multiple risks you have about a 1 in 500 to 1 in 100 chance.

See an ophthalmologist yearly for a dilated retina exam. Know the symptoms of a RD, sudden onset of floaters, flashes of light in the eye and loss of peripheral vision.

JCH IIIMD