16/10/2025
Indirect Laser Retinopexy is a procedure used in ophthalmology to treat retinal conditions, particularly those involving retinal tears or holes. It involves using a laser to create small burns around the retinal tear or hole to help seal the retina to the underlying tissue (the choroid), preventing fluid from getting behind the retina and potentially leading to a retinal detachment.
Here’s how it generally works:
1. Purpose:
Retinal Tears or Holes: Indirect laser retinopexy is often used to treat retinal tears or holes, which can lead to retinal detachment if left untreated.
Prevention of Retinal Detachment: By creating these laser burns around the tear or hole, the retina is effectively "tacked" to the underlying tissue. This prevents fluid from seeping underneath the retina, thus reducing the risk of detachment.
2. Procedure:
Indirect Ophthalmoscope: The procedure is called "indirect" because the laser is typically delivered using an indirect ophthalmoscope. This device allows the ophthalmologist to view the retina with a wide field of view.
Laser Application: The doctor focuses the laser through a special lens onto the retina, creating small burns in a ring pattern around the tear or hole.
Laser Burns: These burns induce a healing response that creates a scar around the retinal tear, "sealing" it and preventing fluid from passing under the retina.
3. Technique:
Non-invasive: The procedure is relatively quick and non-invasive.
Anesthesia: Typically, only local anesthesia (usually in the form of eye drops) is required, so the patient remains awake but doesn’t feel pain.
Laser Settings: The laser used is typically a argon laser, and the burns are often small, concentrated spots on the retina. The goal is to create enough thermal energy to induce scar tissue without causing damage to the surrounding retinal tissue.
4. Post-Procedure:
Immediate Effects: Patients may experience temporary discomfort, like a feeling of "grittiness" in the eye, but these symptoms typically resolve within a few hours to days.
Follow-up: Regular follow-up visits are essential to ensure that the retina remains attached and to monitor for any complications.
5. Advantages:
Prevents Retinal Detachment: It's an effective way to treat small retinal tears before they progress into more serious problems.
Quick and Safe: It’s a relatively quick procedure with minimal downtime.
Outpatient: The procedure is usually done on an outpatient basis, meaning the patient can go home the same day.
6. Complications:
Mild Bleeding or Inflammation: In some cases, there can be some inflammation or bleeding in the retina, though this is uncommon.
Visual Side Effects: Some people may experience visual disturbances after the procedure, like a slight decrease in peripheral vision, but these side effects are usually temporary.
Failure to Seal: Occasionally, the laser treatment might not fully seal the tear, and further treatments may be needed.
7. Indications:
Retinal Tears: Usually done for a tear or hole that has been detected before any detachment has occurred.
Small Retinal Holes: It can also be used for small retinal holes that may not have resulted in a tear yet.
Prevention of Retinal Detachment: If there’s a high risk of detachment, such as in cases of vitreous degeneration or trauma, indirect laser retinopexy can be preventative.
Al-Sayed Eye Hospital located in Kandahar, Afghanistan
