Complications following conventional surgery for retinal detachment

Abstract

AbstractPurpose To describe the possible complications following conventional surgery for retinal detachment Scleral buckling procedure has a primary success rate of 85–90%. Complications, although rare, may occur. Some of them may be severe. In some instances, patients lose sight in the affected eye or lose the entire eye.Methods Conventional retinal detachment surgery under general anaesthesia.Results Possible, but infrequent, complications from scleral buckle surgery include failure of the operation, loss of some or all vision, loss of an eye (rare), double vision, retinal hemorrhage, cataract formation, glaucoma, further retinal detachment, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, vitreous hemorrhage, drooping of the upper lid, and infection. Drainage of the subretinal fluid during surgery, is associated with a higher risk of complications such as bleeding, perforation of the retina, incarceration of the retina at the drainage site, infection etc. Even though the incidence of such complications is low, the risks should be explained to patients. As the scleral buckle is left in place permanently and behaves as a foreign body to the eye there is a risk that there may infection and extrusion many years after the surgery. There is also the small risk of the buckle eroding into the eye, necessitating its removal. A change of patient’s refraction is observed usually (increased shortsightedness) after scleral buckling surgery. In some instances, although the retina reattaches, visual acuity is not restored. The risk of surgery also rises with the use of general anesthesia.Conclusion Scleral buckling, however, is considered a safe, successful procedure. Restored vision depends largely on the location and extent of the detachment, and the length of time before the detachment was repaired.