It is normal for flashing lights or floaters to continue after the laser surgery. Since most retinal tears occur in the setting of a PVD, it is possible to develop another retinal tear or detachment within a few weeks or months after the first tear.
Flashing lights are common after retinal detachment surgery. New flashing lights after vitrectomy warrant a call to the doctor. Pain varies from mild to moderate and will most likely be relieved with Tylenol. Severe pain or pain worsening several days after surgery should prompt a call to the doctor.
This process is known as a posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). As the vitreous gel peels away from the retina, it can cause people to see intermittent flashes of light. The flashing light will usually subside over 4 to 12 weeks, but in some patients it may take a little longer.
Dysphotopsia or flashes in the edge of the vision, can occur after cataract surgery. This is seen after surgery due to reflections related to the new lens in the eye. The new lens is flatter, thinner and has different edge characteristics than the previous cloudy human lens.
You may notice floaters or double vision soon after your surgery. These symptoms usually will decrease with time. If the double vision is bothersome, patching the eye may help. If you notice a sudden worsening in your vision, call your doctor right away.
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.
On average, the expected recovery timeline is 2 to 4 weeks, but it can take up to several months for vision to fully recover. Vision will likely be blurry for a few weeks and it may still be up to 3 to 6 months before vision improves.
Seeing occasional flashing lights in your eyes usually isn't an issue. But repeated flashes in the forms of bright spots, streaks of lightening, or shooting stars in the corner of your eye can indicate a serious medical condition.
Flashes in Detail
Flashes in retinal detachment are usually split-second or few-seconds at a time. They can be like streaks of lightning, noticeable especially in a dark room. They can occur randomly at different times of the day. They can be quite alarming.
Floaters and flashes are usually harmless
in your vision, it's not usually a sign of anything serious, especially if: you've had them for a long time. they're not getting worse.
With treatment, eye flashes should go away. It usually takes about a month, but sometimes it can take up to 6 months for them to completely disappear. While not all eye flashes are serious, you should always have a medical eye examination by an ophthalmologist to make sure there has been no damage to your retina.
In most cases, floaters and flashes are harmless and will go away with time. But it is important to always see your doctor with the onset of new flashes and floaters to rule out the more serious causes.
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.
Warning signs of retinal detachment may include one or all of the following: reduced vision and the sudden appearance of floaters and flashes of light. Contacting an eye specialist (ophthalmologist) right away can help save your vision.
As long as you do not develop a retinal tear or retinal detachment, a PVD itself does not pose a threat to sight loss and the floaters and flashes slowly subside for a majority of patients within 3-6 months.
When the vitreous gel inside your eye rubs or pulls on the retina, you may see what looks like flashing lights or lightening streaks. You may have experienced this sensation if you have ever been hit in the eye and see "stars." These flashes of light can appear off and on for several weeks or months.
There is no treatment for occasional flashes of light caused by vitreous changes from aging. Occasional flashes do not cause any damage and most people get used to them after a little while.
You can try moving your eyes, looking up and down to move the floaters out of your field of vision. While some floaters may remain in your vision, many of them will fade over time and become less bothersome.
You should avoid exercising for at least 2 weeks following your surgery. You may resume normal activities, little by little. After week 1, you may start by walking as much as a mile. You may advance to 2 miles, in the second week and can typically run by week six.
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.
Redetachment of the retina — Sometimes, the retina detaches again following surgery. More surgery would be needed. In severe cases, this complication may be irreversible.
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.
In the 7 to 10 days after the operation, the gas bubble slowly starts to shrink. As this happens, the space that was taken up by the gas fills with the natural fluid made by your eye, and your vision should start to improve. It generally takes 6 to 8 weeks for the gas to be absorbed and vision to improve.
The laser treatment does not treat the floaters or flashing lights. These typically resolve gradually on their own over a period of weeks to months.
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.