Mostly retinal detachment develops slowly. The first symptom is often the sudden appearance of a large number of spots floating loosely in the eye. The person may not seek help, because the number of spots tends to decrease during the days and weeks before detachment. The person may also notice a curious sensation of flashing lights as the eye is moved. The retina does not contain sensory nerves that relay sensations of pain, the condition is painless.

Detachment usually begins at the thin peripheral edge of the retina and extends gradually beneath the thicker, more central areas. The person perceives a shadow that begins laterally and grows in size, slowly encroaching on central vision. As long as the center of the retina is unaffected, the vision when the person is looking straight ahead, is normal; but when the center becomes affected, the eyesight is distorted, wavy and indistinct. If the process of detachment is not halted, total blindness of the eye ultimately results. The condition does not spontaneously resolve itself.