An eye or head injury can lead to retinal detachment. Retinal detachment usually happens when the retina is pulled far away from the back of the eye. Retinal detachment may be mild or severe depending on how much fluid from the middle of the eye is allowed to settle under the retina. The best way to prevent retinal detachment is to be alert. If you notice small changes in your vision after a head or eye injury, then you should visit an ophthalmologist like http://www.drgrantmdretinalspecialist.com immediately. Some steps you can take to prevent retinal tears that can lead to retinal detachment are outlined below.

Protect Your Eyes When Using Tools

The use of tools without protective eye wear is not a good idea. If you are doing a home project you might not think it is necessary to wear protective eye wear, but this is not the case. Protective eye wear is not just for professionals, since anyone can suffer eye damage. If you are hammering a nail, use protective eye wear, especially if you are using smaller nails, since these nails can fly if they are hit wrong and may accidentally go into your eye. When you use power saws, lawn mowers or weed eaters it is also a good idea to wear protective eye wear; these tools often send things into the air at high speeds, and you don't want wood chips or lawn clippings in your eye.

Protect Your Eyes During Contact Sports

Boxing is one sport where participants often suffer punches to the face. If you are involved in this sport, it is a good idea to wear protective goggles to prevent your eyes from getting damaged. Boxing is not the only sport that can put you at risk for retinal detachment, other contact sports such as soccer, basketball and racquetball also put you at risk of getting hit in the eye by a person or object. Protective eye wear will help to prevent retinal tears that can lead to retinal detachment.

Diabetes and Retinal Detachment.

If you have diabetes, keeping your blood sugar levels under control is essential if you are to prevent retinal tears. High blood sugar levels can lead to diabetic retinopathy which can cause tears in your retina. If you suffer from diabetes, regular eye exams and controlling your blood sugar levels are the keys to preventing retinal tears that can cause retinal detachment.

While it can sometimes be difficult to stop retinal detachment when it occurs due to disease, taking proper care of yourself and avoiding situations that put you at risk for retinal detachment is always a good idea.