If the retina is detached, it must be reattached before sealing the retinal tear. There are three ways to repair retinal detachments. Pneumatic retinopexy involves injecting a special gas bubble into the eye that pushes on the retina to seal the tear. This procedure is typically performed in our office. The scleral buckle procedure requires the fluid to be drained from under the retina before a flexible piece of silicone is sewn on the outer eye wall to give support to the tear while it heals.

Most often retinal detachment repair involves Vitrectomy surgery which removes the vitreous gel from the eye, replacing it with a gas bubble, which is slowly replaced by the body’s fluids. Laser treatment or cryotherapy (freezing) treatment is applied at the time of surgery to treat the areas of torn retina.