Living with the effects of retinal detachment can be daunting at first. Treatment is available, but its success can depend on how quickly it happens – and how much damage has already occurred. However, most people live independently with a good level of vision following retinal detachment surgery.
If your retinal detachment resulted in vision loss, sometimes it can be restored with surgery. However, for some patients, vision loss can never be fully restored even if they have a smooth recovery.
The most common restrictions following retinal detachment repair include avoiding air travel, maintaining certain head positions, and avoiding high-level visual tasks. A retinal detachment occurs when the retina spontaneously separates from the back of the eye, most commonly between the ages of 50 and 70.
A detached retina affects your vision and can lead to blindness. Your retina senses light and sends signals to your brain so you can see. When your retina pulls away from the tissues that support it, it loses its blood supply. The blood vessels in those tissues carry nutrients and oxygen to your retina.
Allow the eye to heal. Don't do things where you might move your head. This includes moving quickly, lifting anything heavy, or doing activities such as cleaning or gardening. You will probably need to take 2 to 4 weeks off from work.
After surgery for retinal detachment
During the post-operative period: Your eye may be uncomfortable for several weeks, particularly if a scleral buckle has been used. Your vision will be blurry – it may take some weeks or even three to six months for your vision to improve.
Many eye doctors agree that retinal detachment can lead to permanent blindness, but the timeline of how quickly it happens is difficult to determine. People can lose their sight within several hours of the detachment or within a few days.
Retinal detachment is more common in people age 50 and over. The average age of retinal detachment diagnosis in the United States is 57 for males and 62 for females, according to the American Optometric Association.
Retinal detachment causes blindness and affects approximately 1 in 10,000.
As you get older, the vitreous in your eye may change in texture and may shrink. Sometimes, as it shrinks, the vitreous can pull on your retina and tear it. Other things that can increase your risk of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment are eye injuries, eye surgery, and nearsightedness.
If the central vision is still attached, a retina specialist may proceed with treatment within 24-48 hours to repair the detachment before it progresses through the central vision. If the central vision is detached at the time of diagnosis, the surgeon may schedule treatment within the next 7-10 days.
During calendar year 2021, 151 uncomplicated primary RRD surgeries were analyzed to determine the final retinal reattachment rate. Retinal reattachment was successfully achieved in 99.3% (150/151) of eyes.
Outlook (Prognosis)
Most of the time, the retina can be reattached with one operation. However, some people will need several surgeries. More than 9 out of 10 detachments can be repaired. Failure to repair the retina always results in loss of vision to some degree.
Following retinal detachment surgery, it is important that flying is completely avoided until your eye has fully healed. This is usually for 3 to 4 weeks after surgery but possibly longer after some retinal detachment surgeries. Sometimes during surgery a gas bubble is used to help keep the retina in place.
If you have symptoms of retinal detachment, go to your eye doctor or the emergency room right away. Retinal detachment can cause permanent vision loss — but getting treatment right away can help protect your vision.
As a general rule, retinal detachment occurs in both eyes in about one in ten patients with an initial retinal detachment in one eye. The second detachment in the fellow eye may occur even years later.
The retina sends visual images to the brain through the optic nerve. When detachment occurs, vision is blurred. A detached retina is a serious problem that can cause blindness unless it is treated.
Joseph Pulitzer
The newspaper publisher behind the well-known Pulitzer Prize had a retinal detachment at the age of 42. Although blindness eventually meant the end of his 16-hour workdays, Pulitzer continued to manage the New York World newspaper from home up until retirement.
Certain factors can increase your risk for developing a retinal tear or detachment: Extreme nearsightedness (high myopia) Previous cataract surgery. Severe eye injury.
Risk factors
Aging — retinal detachment is more common in people over age 50. Previous retinal detachment in one eye. Family history of retinal detachment. Extreme nearsightedness (myopia)
If you frequently experience stress you might wonder, can stress cause retinal detachment? The simple answer is no, stress cannot cause retinal detachment.
When your eye surgeon feels your eye has recovered, they will recommend having an eye exam to determine whether your eyeglass prescription is still right for you. It is possible that surgery has altered your optical prescription, so having updated eyeglasses will help you see and read more clearly.
You do not need to wear an eye patch after the patch is removed by your doctor one day after surgery. However, we do recommend wearing sunglasses or prescription glasses during the day and a fox shield over the operated eye at night when sleeping for the first week after surgery.
Over a lifetime, about 3 in 100 people will experience a detached retina. That makes it much less common than major causes of vision loss, such as glaucoma and cataracts. But the consequences can be serious.
Some types of retinal detachment run in families, but these are rare. Without treatment; a retinal detachment usually leads to blindness. The treatment involves surgery. The benefit of the surgery is to prevent your eye from going blind.