FYI: Retinal Detachments 101

I’ve decided to compile a list of sorts to inform people about RDs, its treatments, and effects.

Retinal detachments: who’s at risk
Those w/ a family history of RDs, high myopia, previous eye surgery, previous eye trauma/injury, weak spots in the peripheral retina, having an RD in the fellow eye, as well as those w/ certain conditions such as Diabetes, Marfan’s, ROP, etc. are at greater risk for developing an RD

Retinal detachments: symptoms
flashes of light, which may look like camera flashes, or lightning bolts, visible during the day, but more likely to be seen at night or dim lighting
floaters, these come in many shapes and sizes, if you notice an INCREASE or sudden onset of these than take warning
black curtain or veil, if you notice any sign of visual loss go see an eye doctor immediately

Retinal detachments: treatments
laser or cryotherapy, both seal holes by creating scar tissue, may be done in office or in the OR combined w/ other treatments
scleral buckle, is done under anesthesia in an OR, a silicone band is sewn around the eye
PPV, in a pars plana vitrectomy the vitreous gel inside the eye is removed to help alleviate traction on the retina or to clear debris from the eye; often done in conjunctions w/ pneumatic retinopexy
Pneumatic retinopexy, is the insertion of a gas bubble to push the retina against the back of the eye, there are two types of gas SF6 which gets absorbed very quickly or C3F8 which takes 6-8 weeks to get absorbed by the body. may be done in the doctors office or in the OR
A variation of pneumatic retinopexy uses silicone oil instead of gas, in this case a PPV must be done prior to insertion of oil

*Note: PPV, scleral buckling, laser, cryotherapy, and pneumatic retinopexy can be done in various combinations to help ensure a stable attached retina

Retinal detachments: effects
*If not treated the result is blindness in the affected eye
*Depending on the extent of the detachment and whether or not the macula was off will determine final visual outcome
Laser: if this method was used to seal breaks in the retina along the periphery you may notice some peripheral vision loss; also, you may notice a temporary loss of vision which should only last a few minutes after treatment if done in office
Scleral buckle: pain and swelling may occur which can be treated w/ OTC meds. possible side effects include double vision, strabismus, ptosis, infection. Will cause a myopic shift in vision so if you’re already myopic you’ll be even more myopic afterwards
PPV and pneumatic retinopexy: head positioning may be necessary, vision will be terrible w/gas or silicone oil inside the eye. travel to high altitudes will be restricted if you have a gas tamponding agent, risks include increase in intraocular pressure, vitreous hemorrhage, cataract formation

**Please note that this is a simplified info sheet I’ve compiled. Talk w/ your doctor about any concerns you have and know the risks involved w/ any procedure before you sign that consent form!!!**

Retinal detachments: post-op
               After any surgery, your eye will be patched. You may experience some discomfort and the eye may be red. This will subside w/ time.
After surgery, you will be given drops: a steroid, to help w/ inflammation; a antibiotic for obvious reasons, and maybe a cycloplegic agent to keep the eye dilated and comfortable while the eye gets used to a scleral buckle
Floaters and flashes of light may still be present after surgery.
Flashes of light should stop w/time, if they persist see your doctor asap. Keep in mind that flashes of light are not localized, which means if you see flashes of light in the center of your vision it does not necessarily indicate that the macula is in danger, just that there is a problem w/ the retina.
Floaters may NOT be removed completely w/ vitrectomy. Eventually they may settle to the bottom of the eye or your brain will learn to ignore them.
Vision will be horrible if you have a gas bubble or silicone oil inside the eye.

Retinal detachments: complications post-op
Know the signs of rapidly increasing IOP: headache, usually located above the brow of the operated eye; naseousness, dizziness, and loss or worsening of vision
Sometimes the initial treatment may fail and additional procedures may need to be done. So be on the watch for returning symptoms of a RD. Generally, the riskiest time for re-detachment is in the first few days to weeks after surgery. If the retina remains attached for 3-6 months the chances of a recurrent detachment reduces significantly.
The success rate for retinal detachment surgery is high. Anatomically speaking, most retinas remain attached, some just take multiple attempts. Visually speaking, the success rates, especially for complex detachments, are less then ideal.

Retinal detachments: resources
Look through this forum and its archives. The doctors and other members of this forum have provided thorough answers to many RD related questions.
Talk w/ your doctor. He/She is in the best position to guide you and keep you informed.
If financial assistance is needed contact the hospital or doctor’s office they may have aid programs available. Or locate a Lion’s Club or Knights Templar office near you they have programs to help those who can not afford the costs of surgery.
Take advantage of support groups on the web or contact your local Services for the Blind, they have wonderful programs to help you.

Retinal detachments: final thoughts
Remember vision may take a while to return. Final visual acuity may not be known for up to a year after surgery. Be Patient.
Take care of your vision, especially the non-RD eye as it has now at increased risk for developing an RD.
I can’t stress this enough: Don’t be afraid to talk w/ your doctor. If you feel uncomfortable around your doctor seek another one. It never hurts to have a second opinion.


***Am I missing anything? If you’ve gone through an RD and feel that there is something missing please feel free to add to this, as I was just trying to be as brief as possible.***

This will probably be my last post for a few weeks as I go back to the OR on Tues. for yet another RD surgery. Bringing my total to 10 surgeries (5 left eye, and now 5 right eye)

Good luck to everyone. Take Care

[JodieJ]

Thank you for summarizing this information.  And best of luck with your upcoming procedure.  Let us know how things go for you.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[katika29]

Thank you for your informative post on retinal detachments.  I must emphasize what you wrote about retinal detachments - one main symptom that people tend to ignore is the flashing lights, we all have floaters once in a while, but when you see the flashing lights, it indicates problems with a possible retinal detachment. See your doctor if you have flashes don't ignore them, like I did, you may get permanent vision loss.  
Thank you once again for your consideration of others in posting your knowledge and research on retinal detachments.  Good luck with your operation.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[Seagaul]

Thank you so much for all the information on RD's.  I go back tomorrow for my third re-attachment.  I was told about 1-1/2% of the patients that have had the scleral buckle method placed on their eye it will still detach.  Well, I am one of that percent.  This time the silicone oil will be put back in and it will probably stay permanently.  I will eventually need to have the lens which is implanted now taken out and changed to one that works long term with the oil.  Only time will tell.  But once again, thanks for all the information you gave.  

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[AnnaE]

I am so sorry that I did note your surgery sooner. Best of luck. We will all be thinking of you. I believe your surgery is this morning.

You have given so much to many of us on this forum. I am sure that we all wish that we could be there with you and help you.

Anna

[berrywoo]

A huge thanks to everyone for the well wishes!!!!

A quick update: surgery went ok and it is now 2 weeks post-op. I've got silicone oil in my eye now, so vision is extremely fuzzy and faint. I'm trying to get more adept at using screen readers and the like but it's slow going so I won't be posting too much yet.
If all stays stable the oil may be removed in four months.

AnnaE, I really hope things are going well for you and that you still have your left eye intact.

Again, thanks everyone and take care.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Yes, thanks for sharing. Only one that has been through multiple operations from the patient side of things can really understand what an ordeal it is. Good luck and God bless.

JCH MD

[berrywoo]

bump

[berrywoo]

Just thought I'd bump this up once again, plus a quick update.

Update: I'm due to get the silicone oil out of my eye in a few hours, so things have gone well. In addition to the silicone oil removal, there will be a small portion of scar tissue removed and a SF6 bubble inserted. I'm excited as it finally seems the PVR process has pretty much arrested. Hopefully, this will be the first and last surgery for me in 2009! (I think I'll remain aphakic and hold off getting an IOL for a few years!).

Take care everyone and I'll resume posting in a few weeks!

[Carl_Mendez]

Hi, I have a blob in the corner of my right eye on the left side above the lacrimal gland. When I blink I see like a lacuna or some liquid expanding, a bit bright but trasluscent with no vision loss just like seeing thrue water, and leaves a short afterimage. I thought and was told here also that could be a pressure phospene entopic phenomena. I went to a retinologist and he saw lattice on the peripheral of the retina of both eyes being more servere in that one. Could be that symptom be the flash?, I always thought the flash would be brighter, way brighter and like a bolt or a dot, something way more sharp and intense. Also I only see this when I blink with the eye looking upward or downward and blinking. Im afraid of going laser to treat the lattice because the macula pucker risk.

Also, how can I know how big is my lattice?. Any online reference?


Thanks for the guide of RD, it will help a lot of people.

[broadway96]

I have had 2 reattachment now and i think both didnt work and my DR has given up on me because he keeps saying it is still detached and to just come back in 4 weeks.I am so mad. I am a young female Veteran so the VA is taking care of it but I have no insurance to go to other Dr.s

[berrywoo]

bump

[kathryn241]

I had RD surgery 8 weeks ago.  I had no signs of a detachment, except for slight blurring of my vision.  The doc did the buckle, laser and a vitrectomey, and now I see blur and black and a little light.  Nothing substantial.

My eye looks like it got smaller, does not open as wide as my other one, and is still bloody red on the white of it.

The doc said I popped a blood vessel during surgery and that blood is now behind the retina.  

I am very upset...now she says that I have a cataract that formed because of the surgery and that can not be taken care of until 3 months post retinal surgery.

[kathryn241]

Oh yeah I have the gas bubble too.  Doctors don't seem to be too truthful.  My vision is non existant in the saved eye so far.

[berrywoo]

In cases where a blood vessel breaks during surgery the blood may or may not clear up immediately. If it doesn't clear up immediately, your only option is to be patient and wait to see if it does clear up which may take months. It is a complication that can occur during vitrectomy, even when a surgeon is careful and cauterizes vessels immediately a leak can still occur.
As for the cataract, it is a very common occurrence after surgery for a RD. Generally, it is best to wait until the retina has completely healed and is stable before going ahead with cataract removal/IOL implant. This is because cataract surgery can cause RDs, CME, etc. If however, you require further treatment for RD then you can discuss the removal of the cataract with your surgeon and a refractive surgeon.
As far as your eventual visual prognosis it's going to be hard to determine. You've still got blood in the eye and the gas bubble which currenty makes your vision rather poor, but as these things subside your vision may improve. As noted in the original post, if the macula was detached you will not regain your original vision back.
The most important thing is be patient. Recovery from a retinal detachment is a long drawn out process and takes plenty of time.
The success rate is generally high and most people end up with very good final visual acuity in the effected eye.

[kathryn241]

Well, NOW my doc says that I need another re attachent surgery on the same eye...this time another vitrectomy, laser and also a lensectomy, cataract removal with no lens replacement yet, and inserting silicone oil in my eye which stays for at least 6 months.

I feel like I am living in a horror movie.

[AppleBr]

I 'm praying for you. Hope it helps...
Good Luck!!!

[berrywoo]

been there, done that....so I completely understand what you're going through.
Good luck with the surgery.

[kathryn241]

Anyone have their eye change shape?  Get SMALLER?  Make you look strange?
How long was your eye red after buckle surgery, vitrectomy and laser?

Anyone have 20/20 vision at RD?  

What is the POINT of re attaching the retina if SIGHT is not the ultimate goal....it is like saying

"Oh your broken leg has been nicely fixed, but you won't be able to ever walk again."

Is it so you won't lose your entire eye to a glass eye?  

I don't get why each of our experienced surgeons can not tell us zippo.

[AppleBr]

Yes I guess my eyes is now a little smaller.But it doesnt make me look strange - no one notice except me...
I didnt have the buckle, got silicone oil instead and my eyes won't get red for long.Laser only caused me to feel relieved - I did it both eyes - cos I was really afraid thing could be start happening the fellow eye,I had floters on that( still have some, but few and Retina continues atacched)
About that "why do reatacch if ..." its a try! I dont know you, but I do believe a small possibility of success being not only surgical but also funtional is better than NO possibilities. I knew nothing about RD til a week after my vitrectomy when I came back to computer and met this community by chance.But wont have hesitated if knew bad statistics - after a week waking up afraid of being blind all I wanted was some rest...

[berrywoo]

Yes, my left eye did look a bit sunken in after surgery number 3. Also, now eyes look weird because, the left eye slants down and is much smaller, while the right eye has a very slight upward slant. But like I said previously, it's not the end of the world.

Also, you seem to be under the impression that vision is an all or nothing phenomenon. That is you can see perfectly, 20/20, or you can't see anything at all. Vision, lies on a continuum. So while you may not achieve "normal" 20/20 (or whatever vision you had prior to the RD), with the retina attached there is a greater possibility that you will have some vision, even if it is only hand motion. With the retina detached your only outcome would be no vision, that is not even having any light perception.

The point of attempting to re-attach the retina is to PRESERVE vision.

Most people in this world can function normally with only one "good" eye. However, if worse comes to worse, and you lose all vision in your good eye, you've got a "spare tire". (not the best analogy, but it was the one I was given by 2 different doctors nonetheless)

[berrywoo]

The redness will clear up slowly. Make sure to avoid lying on your back for long periods of time as the oil will come in contact with the front of the eye, this is especially important since you're aphakic.
Also, I agree with AppleBr any chance for vision is better than none at all.
Most people with RD do end up with "normal"/pre-RD vision. However, in complex cases or if the macula was detached, the prognosis for having vision return to pre-RD levels is slimmer.

[berrywoo]

Sorry, but a couple of last comments to you. Try over the counter artificial tears, you may have dry eyes from the surgery and the eye maybe getting irritated from having contact with the oil if you've been laying on your back for long.  Remember no two cases of RD are alike, so recovery/visual outcomes will vary.

[kathryn241]

I did have the vitrectomy, the buckle, laser and gas bubble with the first surgery, then another detachment (same eye) 8 weeks later...this time the surgery was a vitrectomy, lensectomy and silicone oil.  

So now i have the buckle and silicone oil in my eye, plus my lens was removed.  I got a cataract from the first surgery in 8 weeks.

Excess laser to fix a tear causes scar tissue which can lead to RD also.  Then they say your problem is due to multiple surgeries, surgeries which THEY said I needed.

Obviously our Retina surgeons have no clue what we are going thru, because no one has operated on THEIR eyes...if they had, they could no longer be operating on us, with the results I am hearing about, they would be hindered too.

I guess I am still horrified at all this, considering I have absolutely NO background of injury, no diabetes, or anything else on the list of possible causes.

I have complained suffered from dry eye and redness for years, and gotten blown off by eye docs and regular docs because my general health is excellent.  

I would like a doctor to be up front, truthful and level with me...and soon. That's all.

[kathryn241]

HI,
My sight was 20/20 before in both eyes.  Now I see shadows thru oil and have double vision.  

I have not driven since my first surgery and my husband has been taking me back and forth to work.

My original retina tear was only small and that was 2 years ago.  The Retina doc did EXCESS laser to fix a small tear...and did not drain the fluid under the retina back then.

I just recently got all my records.  If that original laser had not been excess, I would not have had so much scar tissue.  I had no idea about any of this until I started doing research and medical records to read myself.

I am just dismayed, and upset.  

[AppleBr]

Sorry for your bad experiences, I do know how is to have your normal life suddenly stolen from you.No previous health problems either.
One day I was working and finishing my conversation english course, the next I was very worried looking unscessful for a doctor cos it was weekend.By the time my classmates were having'"end of semester lunch" somewhere I was in bed waiting for the surgery day.No even had courage to call then...
Anyway, as Berrywoo and many others here say, theres no other option than accept the stuff, be glad with you got and keep believing...Take Care!!

[gracerace]

I had the scleral buckle surgery in 2008, it has turned out wonderful. I do have slight wiggles in vertical lines, some distortion too, but there is still healing to come. I was told it can heal for up to 1 1/2 years. If it doesn't get any better, what I have is better then being blind in my eye, which I was. I am 62 years old by the way. I have contacts with slight distance adjustment which works great.I then wear glasses for reading over the top.I have some large floaters, which I have the option to have removed, but it could be at the expense of early cataracts, which I would rather not get. I wrote this to encourage, because after my surgery I read many negative comments, and got discouraged.I drag race a real fast car,I am very active with racket ball etc. no problems.Hang in there, there is hope.

[suzie521]

hi i want to know if anynone is familiar with Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy deseas, cus my 10 yr old son was diagnos with it. just need some feedback thank you.

[berrywoo]

Unfortunately, I don't know much about the disease aside from the obvious. I do know that since it is genetically linked all of your future children will be at risk, also see if there is anyone else in your or your son's father's family with FEVR. The periods of vision loss maybe interspersed with periods of stability, similar to RP (retinitis pigmentosa). Although FEVR is an overall loss of visual acuity unlike RP where vision loss starts in the periphery. FEVR patients are at greater risk for developing other eye diseases like glaucoma and of course retinal detachments. Many with FEVR will end up with vision that is 20/200 (legally blind) or worse.
I do not know what your son's current level of vision is, but if it's better than 20/200 and he has not had any sort of training for the visually impaired I highly recommend that he start learning some new adaptive skills now while he's young.
I hope that you will contact your local department of services for the visually impaired which will give you and your son plenty of resources and support in dealing with this disease.

[suzie521]

well my son has had 6 surgerys for retinal detachement,they did scleral buckle, vitrectomy,laiser and had to place a gas bubble to hold the rectinal in place,  , but that didnt work so the dr had to remove most of the rectinal and only left the center of it, now the dr. said that he might need surgery for cornia cus of so many surgerys. he lost all of his vision on that eye.the only thing he is able to see is light and some movement of a hand really close to his eye. the other eye, his vision is perfect and for now the dr. is observing it. do you think i should still take him to  training for the visually impaired even with a perfect vision on the other eye?

[suzie521]

oh and i forgot to mention he also had surgery for cataract when he was 6yr they had to place and implant, so i thought that,.. maybe that was the reason for the RD but the dr. said no that he had FEVR.becuse he said that he saw it on the other eye, do you know if this would be a reason to get a RD? im just worried and dont want my son to go blind on the other eye. thak you

[kathryn241]

berrywoo is very up to date with her info, knows a lot about all of this.  

[berrywoo]

Yes, FEVR can cause retinal detachments as can cataract surgery. If your son's doctor has diagnosed him with FEVR than this is much more likely to cause a retinal detachment than cataract removal.
Even if your son has 20/20 vision in his "good" eye, it never hurts to be informed about the help that is available should the worst happen. I do not think he needs a low vision evaluation at this time, but be prepared for it and know in advance what organizations you can contact, and what sorts of aides/adaptive skills can be helpful in the future. Since FEVR is bilateral and one eye has been severely affected the other eye is at greater risk. I do not know of any support groups solely for those with FEVR (I suppose you could try visiting this site: www.fevr.net), but there are support groups for those with retinal problems that may help. The other eye may be stable and remain so for years, but there is no guarantee that it will stay the way it is and often the prognosis is guarded. So, it is important for him to always wear protective eyewear and avoid activities that could cause eye injuries (like boxing) as well as maintaining regular exams with his ophthalmologist.

[suzie521]

tank you very much for your help and information,  i will look for some kind of help for him.

[kathryn241]

My retina is in place but my eye pressure is too low and I now have no vision in my right eye.  How can you get the pressure UP?  

[berrywoo]

There is really no known way to increase IOP. Sometimes steriods can increase IOP, but it's not commonly used (for the sole purpose of increasing IOP). If you've had surgery recently and pressure is low due to surgery, than IOP may gradually return to a normal range. And then there are persistent cases of hypotony. In any given situation, it's best to discussion things with your doctor and see what course of action, if any, can be taken.
There was a member of these forums a few years back, AnnaE, who was dealing with persistent hypotony due to RD repair complications. You might try and contact her.
I was lucky and my IOP, in the left eye, rebounded from around 2-3 mmHg to about 8-10 mmHg, although it took a few months post silicone oil removal.

[garysharr]

My son 15 lost the sight in his left eye last Tuesday from Rd.  He is myopic .7 in his good eye and .9 in his bad.  His first op lasted 21 days, his 2nd 10 weeks but this brought down the macular as well. He now has laser tomorrow for some lattice degeneration in his eye and we are obviously very worried.  I've been reading your posts and hope you don't mind if i ask a few questions as I am trying to find out as much info as I can.  The doc has been great but talking to others who have been through this situation also helps me see the many inspirational stories as well.

[berrywoo]

Hello. I'm sorry to hear about your son's complicated RD. I'm more than glad to help in any way. Just send me a note or PM (private message).
Take care.

[garysharr]

Well the doctor decided not to do the laser today.  He said that he couldn't get a good enough look at the lattice as it is on the peripheral part of the retina.  Instead he wants to have a look under general anesthetic next week.  He also mentioned that the peripheral was pale as well.  i know my son was diagnosed with congenital stationary night blindness 8 yrs ago but not sure if this is the reason for the paleness.  Hope this all sounds normal.

[kathryn241]

Does blood pressure have any relation/correlation to IOP?  Can LOW blood pressure cause low IOP and vice versa?

[berrywoo]

Having low IOP does not mean you'll have low blood pressure.
IOP and overall bp are related and studies have shown that a 10mmHG increase in bp leads to a slight rise in IOP and that a decrease in bp leads to a decrease in IOP. However, IOP does not effect systemic bp.
Overall bp is also related to eye health. Having high blood pressure increases your chances of damaging the eye since the blood vessels in the eye are extremely sensitive. So increased overall blood pressure puts your more at risk for things like retinal vein occlusions, hemorrhages, etc. Chronically low blood pressure could adversely effect the eye as well, since you'll be at a greater risk of not having proper blood circulation in the retina. Having your bp taken at the dr.'s is important b/c it alerts the doctor to possible problems that can occur due to either high or low pressure, not to mention gives clues to overall health.

[kathryn241]

Did any of you get an aphakic contact lens post RD and lensectomy surgery?

[LarryG333]

Thank you for the informative post on the basics of RD surgery.

/Larry

[AppleBr]

No contact lens pos RD, just got the IOL ones on June 2010,in the same surgery ( had the one for cataracts and oil removal at the same time)

[barter]

I recently had my second DR left eye in 6 years, this time because I was overseas on business I chose to have oil so I could fly home - it's about 5 weeks now post op and for the last 2 weeks I have been having flashes in my eye about 10+ per day. I started recording dates times and location to show the doctor but I have seen 3 different doctors in the past 2 weeks and they have all said the retina is attached but none of them could explain the flashes.

I am so stressed each time it happens and keep thinking its coming off again.

Can anyone tell me is this normal post op with oil as the first time I had gas and don't remember having flashes post op.

[hanibee]

when i look side to side with my eyes closed i get a ring of light in both eyes. and when i stare at something with only one eye and dont blink i get a shadow like curtain come over my eye but when i blink it goes away. is this a retinal detachment?

[barter]

I spoke with my retinal specialist after he did a comprehensive check and said that the Flashes are what he called Phosphenes, I tried to research on the net and still am not 100% sold does anyone have any more info on Phosphenes related to RD and use of oil in eye

[trebor45]

Sounds like the same thing I am going thru, i get my oil out in March, then a new lens 3 months afterwards, They took out the lens during the 2nd operation, good luck!

[trebor45]

Thanks for some great info, esp about the terrible vision while silicone oil is in the eye. I was panicking

[momofrm96]

I wish I had this back in march 2011!!! I am on my third surgery in a year. hope everything goes well and I will keep you in my prayers!!!!

[berrywoo]

@barter: technically speaking, I believe all flashes are phosphenes, since, phosphenes are characterized as the perception of light without actually seeing light. A flash is caused by stimulating the retina (through traction via vitreous gel, scar tissue, etc) without the actual presence of light.
Don't worry about the flashes you're currently seeing, worry when they increase or you notice floaters or a shadow/veil in your vision.

@trebor45 & @momofrm96: I'm very glad that the info I've provided has been useful. I hope that everything goes well for the both of you. :)

[trebor45]

I have yellow orbs passing from side to side occasionoly, no flashes

[AppleBr]

Still on the road,dear?
One more year was gone and the damn RD keeps doing her victims...
Well, well... thats the way things are

For all you new folks my simpathy  and good wishes

[AppleBr]

Btw, my vision left eye now is better WITHOUT glasses  - no one know the reason why.
Quite bad one, but get worse wearing glasses