Vitreoretinal Surgery

About Vitreoretinal Surgery

Vitreoretinal surgery refers to a group of procedures performed on the vitreous humor, the gel-like substance filling the eye, and the retina at the back of the eye, used to treat a range of conditions including retinal detachment, macular holes, epiretinal membranes, diabetic eye disease, and vitreous hemorrhage. The core technique, vitrectomy, involves making tiny incisions in the eye through which specialized micro-instruments remove the vitreous gel, allowing the surgeon direct access to repair or treat the retina, whether by peeling scar tissue, sealing a macular hole, addressing bleeding, or repositioning a detached retina; the vitreous cavity is then refilled with a saline solution, gas bubble, or, in more complex cases, silicone oil to help support healing. These procedures are typically performed using small-gauge, minimally invasive instruments that reduce the need for stitches and can shorten recovery time compared with older techniques. Patients requiring vitreoretinal surgery are often referred by a general ophthalmologist after imaging such as optical coherence tomography identifies structural changes at the back of the eye. Recovery time and positioning requirements afterward vary depending on the specific procedure performed. Eye hospitals in India generally have dedicated vitreoretinal units equipped with advanced imaging and micro-incision surgical systems.