Retinal Detachment Treatment Options
Retinal detachment is a serious vision-threatening condition. Fortunately, treatment options exist, and tend to be successful in maintaining and restoring vision after retinal detachment. At the Eye Surgery Center of Louisiana, we offer many different treatment options for retinal detachment so you can get the procedure necessary to treat your retinal detachment.
This page contains background information on treatment options for retinal detachment, but cannot make recommendations about which might be right for you. The best way to get advice about the right treatment option for your retinal detachment is to talk to an ophthalmologist.
At the Eye Surgery Center of Louisiana, we offer all four commonly-used treatment options for retinal detachment, including retina surgery and nonsurgical treatment options. This includes:
- Laser retina repair
- Pneumatic retinopexy
- Scleral buckle
- Vitrectomy
Which are detailed below. For more information on the condition, please see Questions about Detached Retina.
Laser Retina Repair
Laser retina repair, also called laser photocoagulation, is used to repair a retinal tear. A laser is directed at the area around the retinal tear, creating a precise burn that binds the retina to underlying tissue. This prevents further tearing and also prevents vitreous fluid from seeping behind the retina to cause a retinal detachment.
Pneumatic Retinopexy
Pneumatic retinopexy is used to treat retinal detachment. In this procedure, a gas bubble is injected into the eye. This bubble puts pressure on the detached retina, pressing it back against the underlying tissue. Then laser retina repair is used to seal the detached retina in place.
Scleral Buckle
In this procedure, the eye is indented to push the supporting tissue back up against the detached retina. This also reduces tension on the retina that may be caused by attachment to the vitreous gel–the clear liquid in the eye.
Vitrectomy
A vitrectomy is when all or some of the fluid is removed from the eye. This can be done to stop tugging on the retina by the vitreous gel, as well as to remove vision-obscuring impurities in the vitreous. Once removed, the vitreous gel may be replaced with air or silicone oil.
Retinal Detachment Treatment Outcomes
In most cases, retinal detachment treatment is successful in placing the retina back in contact with the supporting tissue. Success rates up to 98% have been reported, but 90% is a more consistently-reported figure. If one treatment does not succeed, other options can be attempted.
Visual outcome is harder to predict, but most people recover vision after surgery. The amount of vision recovered depends on how much of the retina was affected, how good your vision was before surgery, and whether the central area of the retina, the macula, was affected.
To talk to a doctor about your treatment options and your likely outcome, please contact the Eye Surgery Center of Louisiana today for an appointment at one of our New Orleans-area offices.