How long does it take for Retina to be completely detach?

[DebJav09]

If you have been experiencing floaters and flashes for a year does it mean that you have retinal tear or early stage of Retinal Detachment? In early stage of retinal detachment does it go years, months, weeks or only a few day before the retina become completely detach? Please someone explain this to me. Thank you very much

[JohnHaganMD]

Floaters are for most people a lifelong proposition.  Most people learn to 'tune them out" but if they look for them they can see them. Flashes usually are due to posterior vitreous detachment and for most people stop within 2-6 weeks.  PVDs are a part of the eye aging and by age 50 half of people have them and by age 70 almost 3 out of 4 have PVD.  A RD is relatively rare in people without high risk factors or who have had cataract surgery only about 1 in 5000 to 7000 develop RD

[DebJav09]

How about young working adult or those of under the age of 40 or 30? Are they at risk of RD? Is it true that having blue flashes are the most dangerous flashes/floater because it's a sign of RD?

[JohnHaganMD]

Risk factors are high myopia (>-5.00D), history of trauma, family member with RD. Otherwise risk is extremely low. Blue arcs are often just entopic phenomena.  Flashes of most concern are bright white.