Retinal Detachment Surgery London

How Does Retinal Detachment Occur?

Retinal detachment occurs when your retina, the light sensitive layer of tissue at the back of your eye, is pulled away from its correct position. To maintain your vision, your retina needs to be reattached as soon as possible.

A detached retina will impact your sight and can lead to vision loss so it must be treated quickly.

Below we will explore the main options for treatment for retinal detachment.

What options are there for Retinal Detachment Surgery?

Retinal detachment is usually treated using one of three surgical measures:

1. Pneumatic retinopexy
2. Scleral buckle surgery
3. Vitrectomy

The appropriate surgery for you will depend on several factors including where in your eye the retina has detached and how much has detached too. You can discuss your options with your doctor before selecting the best choice for your circumstance. Let’s look more closely at each type of surgery:

Pneumatic retinopexy

This procedure involves your doctor injected a small bubble of air into your eye. The bubble push4es the retina back into place. This then allows the doctor to use a laser or freezing treatment to mend any holes or tears in the retina. The procedure is quite quick and does not usually require any anaesthesia or stay in hospital. Your doctor will use a numbing medicine to prepare your eye before the procedure. Patients can usually see the air bubble put in place during pneumatic retinopexy but it disappears eventually.

Scleral buckle surgery

Scleral buckle surgery involves using a flexible band which is placed around the white or sclera of the eye. The band pushes lightly on the sides of the eye ad move them inwards towards the retina. This process help the retina to reattach. The band stays in place permanently around the eye but should cause no discomfort or pain. Your doctor may also use laser or freeze treatment to repair holes or tears in the retina.

Scleral buckle surgery is usually performed under general anaesthesia but most patients can go home on the same day, though you will need someone to pick you up and drive you home. It is normal for the eyes to feel sore after the surgery, you may need to wear an eye patch for around 24 hours and avoid heavy lifting or strenuous exercise until the eye heals.

Vitrectomy

The vitrectomy procedure is a quite similar to pneumatic retinopexy except it is a longer procedure and is usually carried out in hospital. You will need either a local or general anaesthetic but most patients can go home the same day.

During a vitrectomy the doctor will make tiny openings in the eye and remove the majority of your eye’s vitreous, the gel-like fluid that fills the eye. The doctor will then inject a bubble or air, gas or silicone oil into your eye to hold the retina in place. They may also carry out laser or freeze treatment to reattach or repair any damage. The procedure is quick and effective but you will need to take time to recover and allow our vision to improve.