Retinal detachment repair
Definition
Retinal detachment repair is eye surgery to place a detached retina back into its normal position.
A detached retina means the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye has separated from its supporting layers.
Alternative Names
Scleral buckling; Vitrectomy; Pneumatic retinopexy; Laser retinopexy
Description
Most detachment repair operations are urgent. A detached retina lacks oxygen, which causes cells in the area to die. This can lead to blindness.
If holes in the retina are found before a detachment occurs, an opthalmologist can close the holes using a laser. This is usually done in the doctor's office.
If the retina has just started to seperate, a procedure called pneumatic retinopexy may be done to repair it. Pneumatic retinopexy (gas bubble placement) is also usually an office procedure. The health care provider injects a bubble of gas into your eye. You will be positioned so the gas floats up against the hole in the retina and pushes it back into place. The surgeon will use a laser to permanently seal the hole.
More severe detachments require more advanced surgery. There following procedures are done in a hospital or outpatient surgery center:
- The scleral buckle method bends the wall of the eye inward so that it meets the hole in the retina. Scleral buckling can be done under local or general anesthesia
- The vitrectomy procedure uses very small instruments inside the eye to pull the retina forward. Most vitrectomies are done under local anesthesia.
For some complex detachments, both procedures may be done during the same operation.
Risks
Risks for retinal detachment surgery may include:
- Detachment not completely fixed (may require additional surgeries)
- Increase in eye pressure (elevated intraocular pressure)
- Bleeding
- Infection
General anesthesia may be required. The risks for any anesthesia are:
- Reactions to medications
- Problems breathing
Reviewed By: Paul B. Griggs, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
