Re: Retinal Detachment

Posted By HFHS MD - NI on March 16, 1999 at 17:21:13:

In Reply to: Retinal Detachment posted by Wanda on March 15, 1999 at 22:20:52:






Hi! My mom is 73 years old and found out today that she needs
surgery immediately to treat a detached retina (vitreous). She's
not in good health and I was wondering about the surgery itself..
. how long is it, what are the side effects, does it require
anasthesia, what is the average recovery period, etc. And, she
has a cataract on the same eye requiring surgery ... what
impact does that have, if any, on the surgery? She wasn't told
anything by the physicians today, but they apparently did 4
hours of testing and said they would get back once the results
were finalized. My concern is that they've gone ahead and
scheduled this surgery, yet in the same breath, say they want to
study the results. Any help or advice you can offer would be
appreciated. I've been on the net for 2 hours reading everything
I could find regarding this condition, but couldn't find any-
things about the surgery itself. Thanks in advance for your
prompt response! Wanda  





Wanda,
A retinal detachment is where the retina separates from the back of the eye.  It can cause the vision to become very poor if the area of best vision is involved.
There are several ways to fix retinal detachments.  A scleral buckle can be placed around the eye like a belt.  This slightly indents the eye and brings the retina back in place.  The retina can also be reattached with vitrectomy surgery.  This type of surgery removes the jelly like material (vitreous) from the inside of the eye.  Once this is removed, the retina can be repositioned. Laser is usually used to seal the retina in place.
The success for retinal detachment surgery is usually very good.  Sometimes more than one surgery may be needed.  If the area of best vision is affected, it is defficult to predict how much vision will return.  Usually the longer the retina has been detached, the less vision returns.
This surgery can either be done under local anesthesia or general anesthesia depending upon the physician and patient preference.
You should have your mother discuss the risks, benefits and alternatives to surgery with her surgeon.
This information is provided for educational purposes only.
Sincerely,
HFHS MD - NI