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Your ophthalmologist has diagnosed a detached retina.
This condition occurs when the tissue
lining the back of your eye is lifted or pulled away.
A detached retina is a very serious condition
that almost always causes blindness
if not treated.
To repair your retina, your eye surgeon recommends
a procedure called pneumatic retinopexy.
This surgery can help to prevent further retinal damage,
and may save your remaining sight.
To understand how a detached retina
affects your vision, let's take a look
at how the eye works.
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Light rays enter the eye through the cornea,
pupil, and lens.
These light rays are focused on the retina,
the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye.
The retina has two areas:
The peripheral retina,
which gives us our side or wide-angle vision,
and the macula,
the small area in the center of the retina.
The macula gives us our pinpoint vision,
allowing us to see detail clearly.
The inner eye is filled with a clear jelly-like substance
called vitreous.
As we age, the vitreous becomes less like jelly
and more like liquid.
Usually the vitreous is only loosely attached
to the retina, so as the eye moves,
the vitreous moves away from the retina
without causing problems.
Sometimes, though, the vitreous pulls hard enough
to tear the retina.
Fluid passes through the tear and lifts the retina
off the back of the eye.
This is called a retinal detachment.
The retina doesn't work when it is detached,
and vision becomes blurred.
A retinal detachment is a very serious problem
that almost always causes blindness
unless it is treated.
Your ophthalmologist will repair your retina
with a procedure called pneumatic retinopexy.
This is where a gas bubble is placed inside
the middle of the eyeball to gently push
the detached retina into place
against the back wall of the eye.
It is usually done as an outpatient procedure,
and your eye surgeon will use anesthesia
in and around the eye to minimize discomfort.
During pneumatic retinopexy,
your eye surgeon will inject a gas bubble
into the middle of your eyeball.
Your head will be positioned to allow the gas bubble
to float to the detached area of the retina and flatten it.
The retinal tear is then sealed with either a freezing probe
or a laser beam either immediately
or in a few days.
This depends on the type and location of the tear.
After the procedure, your ophthalmologist
may tell you to keep your head in a certain position
for a specific length of time.
It's important to follow these instructions
so that the bubble holds the retina in place properly.
As you recover, the eye's naturally made fluid
gradually replaces the gas bubble.
You should avoid air travel with a gas bubble in your eye.
Also, if you're going to have any other surgery,
be sure to let your anesthesiologist know
before surgery that you have a gas bubble in your eye.
As with any procedure, there are risks of side effects
and complications with pneumatic retinopexy
for retinal detachment.
These may include incomplete healing of the tear,
new retinal breaks and tears
that can form at a different place
and cause another detachment,
the need for more than one surgery
to reattach the retina,
fluid remaining under the retina or slow to be absorbed,
or small gas bubbles being trapped under the retina.
Call your ophthalmologist right away
if you notice any of the following problems
after surgery:
decreasing vision, increasing pain,
increasing redness of the eye,
swelling around the eye,
any discharge from the eye,
any new floaters, flashes of light,
or changes in your field of vision.
Other treatment options may be available
for your retinal detachment.
Depending on your condition,
one option could include vitrectomy
to remove the vitreous gel and replace it
with a gas bubble.
Another option is a scleral buckle,
which is a flexible band placed around the eye
that counteracts the force pulling the retina out of place.
Your ophthalmologist can explain why he or she
chose pneumatic retinopexy
for your particular course of treatment.
You don't have to be treated for your retinal detachment.
However, without treatment, it is very likely
you will lose vision in that eye.
The main goal of treatment is to preserve your vision.
Be sure to keep all appointments with your ophthalmologist
after treatments.
Also, if you have any changes in your vision,
you should call your ophthalmologist right away.
Monitoring your vision is a vital step
toward the goal of preserving your sight.
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