Meaning & use
detached retina
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountablemedical
A serious eye condition where the retina pulls away from the back of the eye.
Grammar: Countable noun; you can say 'a detached retina' or 'detached retinas'.
Patterns
- have a detached retina
- treat a detached retina
- suffer from a detached retina
He was diagnosed with a detached retina after seeing flashes of light.
A detached retina requires immediate medical attention to prevent vision loss.
She had surgery to repair a detached retina in her left eye.
Word forms
| plural | detached retinas |
|---|
Common combinations
- a detached retina in the eye
- The doctor found a detached retina in his right eye.
- surgery for a detached retina
- He underwent surgery for a detached retina last week.
- signs of a detached retina
- Flashes and floaters can be signs of a detached retina.
Synonyms and how they differ
- retinal detachment
- The more formal medical term for the same condition; it is often used in medical writing.
Word family
- retina noun
- The light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye.
- retinal adjective
- Relating to the retina.
- detachment noun
- The act of coming apart or separating.
Commonly confused: detached retina or detached house?
detached retina vs detached house
Do not confuse 'detached retina' with 'detached house'; the word 'detached' has a different meaning in each phrase.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'detached retina' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option An is correct because a detached retina is a medical condition requiring a doctor. The other options are unrelated to the medical meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “detached retina”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.