What are treatment options for a detached retina on the lower part of the eye?

Depends: Small detachments can sometimes be repaired with laser, other times surgery, sometimes along with laser is necessary.

Buckle or Vitrectomy: A detachment involving the lower part of the retina is not amenable to repair via pneumatic retinopexy. In this case, the only options are a scleral buckle or a complete pars plana vitrectomy. If the detachment is very small, it can sometimes be lasered to prevent progression.

Surgery: When the retinal layer peels away from the eye wall (like wall paper), it is detached. When the retina separates like this vision is impaired. Depending on the location and size of the detachment, it can be treated with an in office procedure, called pneumatic retinopexy, or it can be done in the or with vitrectomy and or scleral buckle. Gas or oil may also be used.

Buckle or vitrectomy: Inferior retinal detachments can be fixed with scleral buckling surgery, attaching a silicone band to the outside eye wall that pushes it in this closing the hole in the retina from the outside. This can cause more myopia. Vitrectomy removes t he gel inside the eye and the fluid under the retina is sucked out and closed with a gas bubble and laser. This can cause cataract formation.

Several options: Having a retinal detachment in the lower part of the eye precludes the use an office based pneumatic retinopexy. Depending on the size and extent of the detachment and level of activity of the patient, scleral buckle alone or vitrectomy with or without scleral buckle with or without a gas fill are most likely. Cryotherapy or laser alone can also sometimes be considered if the area is small.