Surgery is the only treatment for retinal detachment. Without treatment, vision loss can progress from minor to severe or even to blindness. This can happen within a few hours or days.
How soon you need surgery usually depends on whether the retinal detachment has or could spread far enough to affect central vision. The macula is the part of the retina that provides central vision. If it loses contact with the layer beneath it, it quickly loses its ability to process what the eye sees.
There are several types of surgery. The type you have depends on the cause and type of detachment you have, and any other eye problems. These are three of the most common types.
The doctor injects a gas bubble into the middle of the eyeball. The gas bubble floats to the detached area and lightly presses the detached retina to the wall of the eye. The eye doctor then uses a freezing probe (cryopexy) or laser beam (photocoagulation) to seal the tear.
The doctor places a piece of silicone sponge, rubber, or semi-hard plastic on the outer layer of your eye and sews it in place. This relieves pulling (traction) on the retina. It gently presses the wall of the eye to the retina, so that the retina will reattach. It also helps prevent a retinal tear from getting worse.
The doctor removes the vitreous gel from the eye. This gives the doctor better access to the retina and other tissues. It allows the doctor to remove scar tissue from the retina, repair holes and tears, and push the retina back onto the wall of the eye so that it reattaches.
If scar tissue from the first surgery grows over the surface of your retina, you may need more than one surgery.
Things that may make surgery harder include:
A retinal detachment usually needs to be repaired quickly. You may not have much time to think about it.
The retina is a thin nerve membrane that lines the back of the eye. You can't see without it. Detachment means the retina has moved out of its normal place against the back of the eye.
Detachment can lead to severe vision loss or blindness. Prompt treatment can restore good vision.
You may have some pain in your eye and your vision may be blurry for a few days after the surgery. Your eye may be swollen, red, or tender for several weeks. Your eye doctor may put drops in your eye that prevent infection and keep the pupil from opening wide (dilating) or closing (constricting). You may have to wear a patch over the eye for a day or more.
Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:
You have had surgery to fix a retinal detachment. Your doctor may also have fixed a tear in your retina.
Your eye doctor may put drops in your eye to prevent infection and keep the pupil from opening wide or closing. You will also use these drops at home. You may have to wear a patch or shield over the eye for a day or more. You may have some pain in your eye and your vision may be blurry for a few days after the surgery. Your eye may be swollen, red, or tender for several weeks.
If your doctor used a gas bubble to flatten your retina during surgery, you may have to keep your head in a certain position for a few days or longer. Your doctor will give you special instructions about this.
You will need 2 to 4 weeks to recover before returning to your normal activities.
Surgery is the only way to reattach the retina. There are many ways to do the surgery. They include:
If a tear in the retina caused the detachment, your doctor may fix it during your surgery. This can be done in two ways. The doctor may use:
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