Laser and Cryotherapy to Repair Retinal Tear

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Laser and Cryotherapy to Repair Retinal Tear

Question:

After both laser and cryotherapy for a retina tear, how long is the recovery period and what can I expect for my vision?

Answer:

I am not sure what you mean when you say, "recovery." There is no pain with the laser. Cryotherapy causes some inflammation and soreness that should go away in a couple of weeks at the most.

The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. It converts images into nerve impulses and sends them to the brain. The brain then tells you what you are seeing. When the retina separates from the back of the eyeball, the retina is said to be detached. A retinal tear is the step that usually happens before the retina detaches.

The purpose of both laser and cryotherapy is to create a scar around the tear so that fluid does not pass through it and cause a detachment. The scar that seals the hole forms within a few weeks (at the most).

Most of the time these procedures seal the hole enough so that there is no risk of retinal detachment. Your surgeon will tell you what warning signs to look for.

Don Bienfang, M.D, is an assistant professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and the Senior Surgeon in the Department of Surgery and Chief of Neuro-Ophthalmology in the Department of Neurology at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Last updated:	July 20, 2009