The eye looks and feels normally following surgery. Pneumatic retinopexy is a painless in-office procedure for repairing retinal detachment. After a gas bubble is injected into the eye, the patient positions their head so the bubble floats up against the retinal detachment. Once the retina re-attaches, usually within several days, the causative retinal breaks are surrounded with laser photocoagulation or cryotherapy. Initial failures are primarily due to poor patient compliance with head positioning or the development of new retinal breaks.
Vitrectomy is an outpatient surgery performed in the operating room under local anesthesia.
The vitreous is removed, directly eliminating the retinal traction on the causative retinal breaks. Scar tissue growing over the retinal surface can be removed as well. The eye is then filled with a gas bubble. This mechanically pushes the retina back against the eye-wall. Laser photocoagulation or cryotherapy are then used to seal the retinal breaks.