retinal detachment, some basic

2021/05/21

For retinal detachment, some basic questions include: Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as: Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Wickham L, Aylward GW. Read our updated information about wearing a mask for your visit, and our visitor policy. Tell your doctor if you have any questions or concerns after surgery, including if your vision seems worse or if you have a lot of pain or swelling. Your eye surgeon will decide which procedure for retinal detachment is right for you. The procedure causes scar tissue to form a seal between the retina and the layers underneath. This creates scars or a seal to wall off the tear to prevent it from developing into a retina detachment. In this procedure, called pneumatic retinopexy (RET-ih-no-pek-see), the surgeon injects a bubble of air or gas into the center part of the eye (the vitreous cavity).

We are able to detect a retinal detachment during an eye examination. In: Schachat AP, Sadda SVR, Hinton DR, Wilkinson CP, Wiedemann P, eds. You will need to be careful not to get any soap or water in your eye. If I need surgery, how long will recovery take? In some cases, you could lose your sight. What tests do I need? After retinal detachment surgery, here are the outcomes that you can expect: In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2019. The removal of the vitreous inside the eye does not cause any permanent harm. You will need 2 to 4 weeks to recover before returning to your normal activities. Freezing, which doctors call cryopexy, is another possibility. Freund KB, et al. After the surgery you will have an eye shield placed on your eye. Accessed Sept. 12, 2018. Unfortunately, some patients, particularly those with chronic retinal detachment, do not recover any vision. What are the alternatives to the first approach that you're suggesting? If the retina cannot be reattached, the eye will continue to lose sight and ultimately become blind. Optimal procedures for retinal detachment repair. You can usually resume everyday activities within a few weeks of surgery. When you get this surgery, your doctor will: Youll be able to see the air bubble in your peripheral (side) vision after the surgery. Cryotherapy uses cold, or freezing therapy, to create a scar. This content does not have an English version. We use cookies and similar tools to give you the best website experience. Thats why you need to see your doctor right away if you have sudden changes in your vision, especially if you suddenly start to see a lot more floaters -- these are dots or squiggles that appear before your eyes -- or you see flashes of light or a dark curtain moving into your vision. How quickly the surgery needs to be done depends on the location and extent of the detachment. You can usually get this surgery in your doctors office. Surgery is an option if a retinal detachment is big enough that it cant be treated with laser photocoagulation and cryotherapy alone. This procedure indents the wall of the eye and relieves some of the force caused by the vitreous tugging on the retina. You wont feel anything or remember the surgery. Often, it will be less than 20/200, the limit for legal blindness. Your retinal detachment surgery will likely involve a scleral buckling and/or vitrectomy procedure. This can help prevent further detachment of the retina. When did you first start having symptoms? If holes or tears in the retina are found before the retina detaches, the eye doctor can close the holes using a laser. They are more common in patients who are very near- sighted, have a family history of retinal detachment, and in eyes that have had prior trauma or eye surgery. We can help you find a doctor. You may have to wear an eye patch or shield for a few days. Surgery can still be done to prevent total blindness. American Foundation for the Blind. Do not remove this shield until we see you in the clinic the following day when we will remove it for you. If you have several tears or holes or an extensive detachment, your surgeon may create a scleral buckle that encircles your entire eye like a belt. Try to do this every 1 to 2 hours for the next 3 days (when you are awake) or until the swelling goes down. You have symptoms of a blood clot in your leg (called a deep vein thrombosis), such as: Pain in the calf, back of the knee, thigh, or groin. 9th ed. 5th ed. Detached or torn retina. Although a majority of our patients experience an improvement in vision after surgery, there are a small percentage of patients who do not have improved vision even after successful and uncomplicated surgery. You will need to use eyedrops for up to 6 weeks. Your ophthalmologist will prescribe any necessary medications for you and advise you when to resume normal activity. You stand the best chance at a good outcome if the repair is done before the center part of the retina, called the macula, detaches. However, once the retina has detached, the photoreceptors may never recover completely.

Depending on your degree of vision loss, your lifestyle might change significantly. However, if you experience one or more of these symptoms, contact your ophthalmologist for a complete exam. Facts about retinal detachment. If the central area of vision (macula) was not involved, vision will usually be very good. Laser photocoagulation and cryotherapy can also be used to treat a retinal detachment and prevent it from becoming bigger. Accessed Sept. 12, 2018. Is my condition likely temporary or ongoing? Accessed Sept. 12, 2018. Eventually the air, gas or liquid will be absorbed, and the vitreous space will refill with body fluid.

Redness and swelling in your leg or groin. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Learn about causes, symptoms, and treatments. Explore our approach to diagnosing and treating adults and children. Various techniques are available. If your doctor used a gas bubble to hold the retina in place, keep your head in a certain position for most of the day and night for 1 to 3 weeks after the surgery. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Will it be safe to travel by plane? This includes moving quickly, lifting anything heavy, or doing activities such as cleaning or gardening. Most patients have some discomfort after surgery. Do you have your symptoms all the time, or do they come and go? Doctors prescribe topical steroids and antibiotics to be taken for several weeks after surgery. Only a doctor can tell you if you have a retinal detachment or a retinal tear.

You may need to limit your physical activity for some time. Follow us on Twitter. We use the most advanced surgical equipment and techniques available for retinal detachment surgery. Further Information You may need to hold your head in a certain position for up to several days to keep the bubble in the proper position. During scleral buckle surgery, your doctor will put a tiny, flexible band around the white part of your eye. The eye is then filled with an inert gas to keep the retina in position as it heals. He may need to press on your eye to examine your retina fully. Why do I have a Retinal Detachment? Both of these procedures are done on an outpatient basis. You can usually get this surgery in your doctors office. Your doctor may also use a laser or freeze treatment to repair any tears in your retina. For any procedures in which intraocular gas is used, your doctor recommends certain precautions during the two to six weeks when the gas is in your eye. What are my treatment options, and which do you recommend? If your macula has become detached, you have a poorer visual prognosis and you may not regain good enough vision to read or drive with that eye even after successful surgery. Make a donation. We will place a green bracelet around your wrist indicating this after surgery, do not take off the bracelet until the gas dissipates from your eye. As a result of injury, tumors, or disease, the retina can become completely or partially detached causing diminished vision.

A scleral buckling surgery involves positioning a silicone band around your eye beneath your eye muscles to bring in the walls of your eye. With retinal tears, the procedure prevents fluid from traveling underneath the retina, where it can cause detachment. He or she may recommend bed rest for the first few days and suggest that you refrain from strenuous activities to allow the scars to form and your eye to heal.

Retinal detachments DO NOT get better without treatment. You do not need to use any eye drops the night after your surgery. What websites do you recommend? Your vision after surgery will likely be worse if your macula has become detached. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier; 2019. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Conditions that can increase the chance of a retinal detachment include nearsightedness; previous cataract surgery; glaucoma; severe trauma; previous retinal detachment in your other eye; family history of retinal detachment; or weak areas in your retina that can be seen by your ophthalmologist. Opens in a new window. This material bucklespushes inthe sclera towards the middle of the eye, enabling the retina to settle against the back of the eye. Your surgeon will carefully examine your eye to identify all the retinal tears and determine the extent of the retinal detachment. A detached retina is a serious problem that can cause blindness unless it is treated. Your surgeon will review appropriate head positioning with you and your family members after surgery. 646-929-7800 Most retinal detachment surgery is successful, although a second operation is sometimes needed. The buckle is placed in a way that doesn't block your vision, and it usually remains in place permanently. This most often happens within a few weeks. Also, if you experience new symptoms, it's important to return to your doctor right away. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. The doctor will use a laser to permanently seal the hole. Your doctor discusses anesthesia options with you before surgery. Close your eye and put ice or a cold pack on it for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Retinal detachment is a medical emergency, and early treatment isimportant to protect your vision. Accessed Sept. 12, 2018. AskMayoExpert. Sterile technique is used during the procedure to minimize risk of infection. For different reasons, it can start to peel away from the layer beneath it. Risks for retinal detachment surgery include: General anesthesia may be needed. If the retina is repaired using the gas bubble procedure, you need to keep your head face down or turned to one side for several days or weeks. It is typically performed the under local anesthesia so that you are awake and comfortable during the procedure and have minimal complications from anesthesia postoperatively.

2005 - 2022 WebMD LLC. 1998-2022 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). There are several risks associated with retinal detachment surgery that you need to be fully aware prior to proceeding with surgery. As you heal, the gas is spontaneously absorbed and disappears within two to six weeks. The retina sends visual images to the brain through the optic nerve. Progression of cataract. Follow us on Facebook. Diseases of the visual system. 2nd ed.

You have symptoms of an eye infection, such as: Pus or thick discharge coming from the eye.

Retinal surgery has a high success rate, and for most people vision is preserved. Failure to repair the retina always results in loss of vision to some degree. Fluid may pass through the retinal tear and lift the retina off the back of the eye like wallpaper can peel off a wall. This can occur in or around the eye and lead to permanent vision loss. This part of the eye is called the sclera.

Allow the eye to heal. Some of these surgical risks include infection, bleeding, high pressure inside the eye, or cataract. Surgery is almost always used to repair a retinal tear, hole or detachment. If any part of the retina is lifted or pulled from its normal position, it is considered detached and will cause some vision loss. Retinal detachment happens when your retina (a light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of your eye) is pulled away from its normal position. Over time, this can cause the retina to lift off the layer below it like wallpaper falling off a wall. Most surgeries to repair a detached retina dont need general anesthesia, so youll be awake for it. For this reason, your NYU Langone ophthalmologist may perform one of two noninvasive procedures to repair the tear and seal the retina to the back of the eye. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2017. This allows the retina to move back into its proper position. Your doctor may also ask you to keep your head in a certain position as much as possible; head positioning allows the gas bubble to push the retina back into place. You can get surgery for a retinal detachment in a doctors office or a hospital. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye. Accessed Sept. 18, 2018. Medical Review:Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine. Your doctor then performs laser photocoagulation or cryotherapy to seal the retinal tear. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. The goal is to reattach the retina.