Retinal hemorrhages and retinal detachment are both serious issues that affect your retina.
A retinal hemorrhage is any injury or damage to your eye that makes blood vessels in your retina break or bleed. They can be caused by lots of other conditions and can happen suddenly (during trauma) or over time from a condition like vascular disease.
Retinal detachment (a detached retina) happens when your retina pulls away from the tissue at the back of your eye that supports it. It can cause a retinal hemorrhage. A detached retina usually isn’t painful. You’ll notice changes in your vision like bright flashes of light, darkened peripheral vision or a sudden loss of sight in one eye. Trauma and conditions that cause fluid buildup in your eye, like uveitis, can cause retinal detachment.
Go to the emergency room if you lose vision in one or both of your eyes or if you see new eye flashes and floaters.