My doctor has told me that the most recent studies indicate that GIANT RETINAL TEARS are definitely hereditary, and your more ordinary RETINAL TEARS (that happen one at a time) are also definitely hereditary.
If you have a blood relative who has ever had a retinal tear of any kind ~ even in an auto or other accident ~ you should study the internet to see what the symptoms are, and if any such symptoms appear they should IMMEDIATELY, not tomorrow, not next week, not after an appointment, contact an opthamologist for treatment. Your chance of developing a retinal tear is many times that of someone without a relative with this problem.
"They" can fix these things these days ~ my GIANT RETINAL TEAR was made up of 7 separate tears. The doctor caught it before my retina flopped over and blinded me. The danger with a loose floppy retina is that you will damage the central part, as well as the optic nerve. Once that happens you are blind ~ and the only consolation will be an extra tax exemption, and the auditors will go easier on you.
Otherwise, there are no consolations and blindness is a bad trip.
I used to think real estate brokers had the world's best job because they were selling new places to live to people ~ who would be happy.
Now I know that opthamologists are the happiest. They are like Jesus ~ they go around and cure blindness.
I wonder if they could do preventative maintenance in people who are at risk.
Put in some laser welds in strategic places so that giant tears do not happen.
Saving vision sacredness to it.