Retina Detachment Surgery - Everything You Need To Know

Retinal detachment happens when the retina segregates from the choroid, the surrounding tissue that supplies it with oxygen and nutrients. When the retina detaches, it stops working and vision is lost. Retinal detachment can cause flashes, floaters, and impaired vision, all of which are warning indicators. You can preserve your vision by making an instant appointment with an ophthalmologist, a specialist in the eyes. Set up a consultation with the most reputable retina specialist in Mauritius at Spectra - the best hospital for retinal detachment surgery. To learn more, keep reading!

Retinal Detachment: What Is It?

A medical emergency termed retinal detachment occurs when the retina, a thin layer of tissue at the back of the eye, tears away from its normal place.

Retinal detachment separates the retinal cells from the layer of blood vessels that supplies oxygen and nutrients. You run a higher chance of losing vision in the affected eye irreversibly the longer you wait to get treatment for a retinal detachment. Retina detachment surgery cost may range from $5000 to $10,000 or more.

Retinal Detachment: Its Causes And Types

Age-related vitreous gel shrinkage, which can induce tearing at a vulnerable spot in the retina, is the most frequent cause of retinal detachment. When a tear or hole of this type develops, fluid may gather behind it and weaken the adherence of the retina to the choroid, leading to a detachment. Retinal detachment can occur after eye injury. However it is less often.

• Rhegmatogenous - The most typical kind of retinal detachment. A hole or fissure in the retina that allows fluid to escape through it and gather beneath it, forcing the retina away from the underlying tissue, is what causes detachment. A detached retina causes areas to lose circulation of blood, stop working, and lose vision.
• Ageing - The most frequent cause of rhegmatogenous separation is ageing. As you get older, the vitreous, a gel-like substance that fills the interior of your eye, may change consistency, shrink, or become more liquid. Normal vitreous separation from the retina's surface without producing any issues is known as posterior vitreous detachment (PVD).
• One of the effects of this separation is a tear. The retina may be pulled so hard that it tears as the vitreous separates from or peels away from it. The retina may become detached if the tear is not healed because liquid vitreous may flow into the area behind the retina.
• Tractional - The retina pulls away from the back of the eye as a result of scar tissue that has developed on the retina's surface. Tractional detachment is more common in those whose diabetes or other ailments are not properly controlled.
• Exudative – This kind of detachment is diffusive behind the retina and does not include retinal holes or tears. Tumors, inflammatory diseases, eye injuries, and age-related macular degeneration can all cause exudative detachment.

Risk Factors

You are more likely to get a retinal detachment if you have the following conditions:

• Growing older – retinal detachment is more common in those over 50.
• A previous eye retinal detachment relative to another retinal detachment
• Very poor nearsightedness (myopia)
• Previous eye surgeries, such as the removal of cataracts
• A serious eye injury in the past
• Previous issues affecting the eyes, such as retinoschisis, uveitis, or thinning of the peripheral retina (lattice degeneration)

Retinal Detachment Symptoms

The retina cannot be detached without causing discomfort. But before the incident happens or has even begun, there are usually warning signs, like:

• The rapid influx of many floaters, which are small specks that seem to wander across your field of view.
• One or both eyes experience light flashes (photopsia)
• Vision problems
• Gradual loss of peripheral (side) vision v) A shadow that resembles a curtain covering your field of view

Seek quick medical assistance if you exhibit any retinal detachment symptoms or signs. A medical emergency called retinal detachment might cause irreversible eyesight loss.

Treatment

A retinal detachment can only be fixed surgically. Your vision will probably become irreversibly damaged if untreated. The best benefits come from seeing an eye specialist as soon as symptoms appear.

Surgery for Retinal Detachment

During retinal detachment surgery, the retina is reattached to the back of the eye and any breaks or holes are sealed. To choose the best procedure for you, your retinal specialist will evaluate your eye.

Reattaching the retina can be done in a number of ways, including:

• Pneumatic retinopexy: The most straightforward method of correcting a separation is pneumatic retinopexy, however it is not always necessary. The retinal surgeon injects a gas bubble into the vitreous cavity and uses a laser or cryotherapy to treat any tears (freezing). The retina is flattened against the eye's wall by the bubble, and the retina is fixed to the wall by the laser or freezing. For the retina to stay in place following surgery, it is essential to adhere to the surgeon's instructions for post-operative head placement. In the days or weeks after surgery, the gas gradually disappears.
• Scleral Buckling: The outer wall of the eye's sclera is stitched to a specially designed piece of silicone rubber to cure the retinal tear, which is treated with cryotherapy. The eye-wall is pushed back onto the retina by a depression that the silicone creates. The scleral buckle stays in place indefinitely, barring difficulties.
• Vitrectomy surgery: Under an operating microscope, the vitreous is surgically removed, any tears are repaired with a laser or cryotherapy, and the eye is then filled with silicone oil or gas. Again, for the retina to stick down, it is crucial to adhere to the post-operative head orientation guidelines. A vitrectomy patient will experience temporary visual impairment while the eye is filled with gas; however, if the procedure is successful, the patient will experience improved vision when the gas reabsorbs and is replaced by the eye's natural clear fluid. When silicone oil is used, it does not naturally dissipate, needing more surgery after a few months.

Prevention

There is generally no method to prevent retinal detachment because age is a common cause of it. When participating in high-risk activities like sports, you can lower your chance of retinal detachment following an eye injury by using safety goggles or other protective eye gear. Visit your eye doctor or get straight to the emergency department if you experience any of the retinal detachment symptoms. Early detection and intervention can lessen the risk of irreversible vision loss.

Regular comprehensive dilated eye exams are also essential. Your eye doctor can find a minor retinal tear or detachment with the use of a dilated eye exam before it impairs your vision.

In the majority of specialised centres, nine out of 10 retinal detachments can be effectively restored in a single procedure. The retina re-detaches in the remaining cases, necessitating additional procedures. The success rate is approximately 95% overall. Many eye care clinics provide retinal detachment surgery in India, but it's best to learn more about it before scheduling a consultation. Retinal detachment surgery cost in India typically ranges from Rs. 1,10,000 to Rs. 1,65,000. Make sure to schedule an appointment for retinal detachment therapy that is reasonably priced, effective, and dependable.

Read More- When do you need retina surgery?