Retinal
Detachment Treatment
in Hyderabad

What is Retinal Detachment

The retina is a thin layer of tissue that is attached to the back of the eyeball. Sudden impacts or injury can cause the retina to detach from the eyeball, resulting in loss of vision. Aside from injuries or post-operative complications, retinal detachment can also occur due to weakness of the tissues due to degeneration.

How to Treat Retinal Detachment – Scleral Buckling Surgery

The scleral buckling surgery is a procedure done to re-fix the retina to the eyeball to restore vision in the patient. The surgery is either done under local or general anaesthesia, depending on the patient’s requirements.

As for the actual procedure, the ophthalmologist reattached the retina to the wall of the eyeball first using cryosurgery and then placing a permanent silicone patch (buckle) on the wall of the eyeball. The stitches are dissolvable, which means that they don’t have to be removed after recovery. Most of the patients show signs of progress and quick healing after one surgery. However, complicated cases might require multiple surgeries to restore clear vision. The patient has to stay in the hospital for a day or two for monitoring before they can be discharged. The recovery time after the surgery is estimated between 4-5 weeks.

What is the success rate of this surgery

Scleral Buckling surgery has an 85% success rate of permanent reattachment after the first surgery. Additional surgeries can further enhance the cure rate to 95% and ensure considerable improvement in the clarity of the vision. It is only in 5% of cases that the retina doesn’t reattach even after the surgery.

What are the side effects or risks of Retinal detachment surgery

The retinal detachment surgery does impose several temporary complications like blurred vision, pain, red and swollen eye, and persistent mucus discharge. These side effects last for a few weeks and can be mitigated with proper prescription drugs. In some patients, they might experience near-sighted vision after the surgery, for which they need to wear glasses.

The majority (90%) of the cases are successfully done with the least number of complications. You might experience a minor hematoma or infection, but those are infrequent risks. Aside from the actual procedure and its complications, some patients might experience anesthesia-related side effects that the specialist will walk you through.

What are the chances of recurrence of Retinal detachment

The first three months after the surgery is highly crucial for the patient. If the retina stays intact after the first three months, the chances of recurrence are only 10%, which is preventable. Also, developing a similar case of retinal detachment in the “healthy” eye is only 12% and rarely occurs.

How to prevent Retinal detachment

Some patients have fragile and weak retina, which can eventually lead to holes or breaks. Early intervention in such cases can effectively reduce the risks of detachment using laser or cryosurgery. Also, undergoing routine dilated retinal examination can prevent the risks further.