Description
The origin and nature of the four classical types of retinal detachment (viz exudative, solid, tractional and rhegmatogenous) are described, together with pointers to their presentation and management. Examples are also given of detachments featuring a combination of two or even three of these mechanisms. Distinguishing each class of detachment one from another is only occasionally problematic, but difficulties sometimes arise in differentiating an elevation of the neural layers of the retina (“detachment ”) from a split in the neural retina (“retinoschisis”), from swelling of the retina (“oedema ”),or from separation of the choroid from the sclera.
