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Your ophthalmologist has diagnosed
a detached retina in your eye.
This condition occurs when the retina,
or tissue lining the back of your eye,
is pulled away.
A detached retina is a very serious condition
that almost always causes blindness
if not treated.
To repair your retina,
your ophthalmologist recommends surgery
to remove the vitreous gel in your eye
and place a scleral buckle around your eyeball.
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.
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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's 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 vitrectomy and a scleral buckle.
This procedure is done in an operating room,
and your eye surgeon will use
either a local or general anesthesia.
During a vitrectomy,
your ophthalmologist makes a tiny incision
in the sclera or white of the eye.
A small instrument is placed into the eye
to remove the vitreous gel.
Once the vitreous is removed,
your surgeon will inject a gas or silicone oil bubble
into the eye.
This pushes the retina back against the wall of the eye.
The tears and weak areas of the retina
are then sealed with either a freezing probe
or laser treatment.
After surgery, your ophthalmologist
may recommend that you keep your head
in a special position for a certain period of time
to keep the bubble in place.
As you recover, your eye naturally makes fluid
that gradually fills the eye,
replacing the gas bubble.
An oil bubble will need to be removed from the eye
at a later date with another surgical procedure.
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.
To add the scleral buckle,
your ophthalmologist will place
a small plastic, rubber, or silicone band
around the sclera, or the outside of the eyeball.
The band is sewn to the sclera
and cannot be seen after surgery.
This band gently presses the eye inward,
helping to keep the separate layers of the eye together
and allowing the retina to re-attach
to the eye's interior wall.
In most cases, the scleral buckle
will be left on the eye permanently.
It's important to remember that retinal detachment
is a very serious eye condition.
The eye may take several months to fully heal,
and your vision may be permanently changed,
even after healing is complete.
The retina is very sensitive tissue
and the damage caused by retinal detachment
could result in loss of vision in the eye,
even with successful surgery.
As with any procedure,
there are risks of side effects and complications
with vitrectomy surgery and scleral buckle.
These may include bleeding, eye infection,
another retinal detachment,
new or recurring scar tissue inside the eye,
double vision, clouding or scarring of the cornea,
clouding of the lens of the eye, or cataract,
a droopy eyelid,
increased pressure in the eye, called glaucoma,
vision loss,
and the possible need for additional treatment,
including medication and surgery.
Also, your eye problem could remain or get worse.
Call your ophthalmologist right away
if you notice any of the following problems
after surgery.
A decrease in your vision,
increasing pain in your eye,
increasing redness of your 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,
these options could include
just a vitrectomy without scleral buckling
or a scleral buckle without vitrectomy.
Another option could be a procedure
where a gas bubble is used to hold the retina in place.
Your ophthalmologist can explain
why he or she chose vitrectomy and scleral buckling
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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