Optometry: Open Access
Open Access

Abstract

The treatment options for a primary retinal detachment will be analyzed by starting with Gonin in 1930 up to present in regard to their morbidity, rate of reoperation and long-term visual function. There had been a change from surgery of the entire retinal detachment to a surgery limited to the area of then retinal break and as well a change from an extraocular to an approach for reattaching the retina. Over the last decades there had been evolved four major surgical techniques for repair of a primary retinal detachment being applied in the beginning of the 21st century. All of these have still one issue in common: To find and close the retinal break which causes the detachment and which would cause a redetachment, if not sealed off sufficiently. In conclusion, to find and close the break(s) appropriately in a primary retinal detachment has accompanied the efforts of retinal detachment surgeons during the past eight decades which is still the “conditio sine qua non” for long-term reattachment. But, however, today four postulates have to be fulfilled for each of the four techniques for repair that includes; Retinal reattachment should be achieved with the 1st operation; the procedure should have a minimum of morbidity; it should not harbor secondary complications jeopardizing regained visual acuity and; it should be performed on a small budget in local anesthesia. This is needed, because the budget for ophthalmology of today has to cover as well very expensive and long-term needed treatment modalities for AMD.

Biography

Ingrid Kreissig is currently a Professor at Department of Ophthalmology Univ. Mannheim-Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. She is also serving as Adjunct Professor at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York. Her specialization includes, Posterior Segment of the Eye: St. Gall/Switzerland, Bonn/Germany, and New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center/USA. During 1979-2000, she has been the Chairman of Univ. Tuebingen/Germany. She has published more than 404 papers, those are been published in national and international journals of ophthalmology, basically on topics such as surgery of retinal detachment with long-term follow-up of anatomic and functional results, cryopexy histology, tumors, AMD, diabetic retinopathy, and intravitreal pharmacotherapy. She has also published many books.