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Pneumatic retinopexy for retinal detachment
The most frequent problems from pneumatic retinopexy include:
- Scarring on the retina, called proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), which often causes the retina to detach again. This is the most common cause of failure in surgery for retinal detachment. PVR usually requires additional treatment, including surgery.
- Formation of new breaks and tears.
- The need for more than one surgery to reattach the retina. This is much more common with pneumatic retinopexy than with scleral buckling.
- Fluid persisting under the retina or being absorbed only very slowly.
- Small bubbles of the gas becoming trapped underneath the retina.
Although they do not occur very often, other complications include:
- The detachment spreading into the macula and affecting central vision.
- An increase in pressure inside the eye (glaucoma).
- Detachment of the choroid, the middle layer of tissue that forms the eyeball. Choroidal detachment occurs in a small number of people who have pneumatic retinopexy, and it usually heals on its own without further treatment.
- Bleeding in the vitreous gel (vitreous hemorrhage) or under the retina (subretinal hemorrhage), although both are very rare.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: August 26, 2009 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Christopher J. Rudnisky - Ophthalmology | |
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