During recovery, if your eye pain is severe, your vision or redness in the eye worsens, or you experience nausea and headaches, you should speak to your team as these can be signs of a complication. You'll have antibiotic and steroid eye drops after surgery to help your eye recover. You'll probably also need to avoid some activities like sports for a while. Don't be afraid to ask them if you're not sure about something.įor example, you may not be able to drive or fly for a while after and will likely need some time off work to recover. If you've had retinal detachment surgery, your eye doctor will explain what you can and can't do while recovering. Experience some discomfort and soreness (paracetamol can help with this).It can take several weeks to recover from the surgery. Recovering from retinal detachment surgery Surgery may be done under local or general anaesthetic, and your surgeon will discuss this with you. Your doctor will assess the best approach based on your diagnosis and circumstances. There are different types of procedures to achieve this: In some cases, urgent surgery can help prevent the macula from detaching to reduce the risk of significant vision loss.Īn operation aims to return the retina to its normal position, flat at the back of the eye.

Surgery is usually recommended within 24 hours to a few days of diagnosis, depending on exactly how the retina is affected. The macula provides our central vision, used for reading and seeing fine details. This is especially so if the macula, at the very centre of the retina, is affected. That's why, when the retina detaches, there's a risk of sight loss. The retina converts light to electrical signals which are sent to our brain, which produces the images we see. This pushes the retina away from the tissues, like blood vessels, that it's normally connected to. It can begin with a retinal tear that allows fluid within the eye to collect behind the retina. This happens when the retina has detached and needs urgent attention.Ī detached retina happens when the retina, a light-sensitive layer of tissue, starts to pull away from the back of the eye.

Shadow: a 'curtain' or shadow of darkness at the side or in the middle of your vision can be a sign the retina has pulled away from the back of the eye.

Blurred vision: if you suddenly experience a deterioration in your vision, rather than a gradual change, this could indicate a problem, especially if accompanied by other symptoms.

It's better to be cautious and get your eyes checked.

Flashes of light: flashing lights indicating risk of retinal detachment are sudden and at the edge of your vision.

If you usually experience floaters in your vision, the number may increase, or they may change in type.

New floaters: tiny specks or lines drifting across your vision can suddenly appear.

It’s important to get medical advice immediately if you notice signs of retinal detachment, as prompt treatment can improve the outcome. The warning signs of retinal detachment can begin quickly.

Detached retina symptoms blood