As with cataract surgery, retinal procedures are performed through tiny openings in the eye (0.6–0.8 mm), 3 mm to the side of the iris. Using a special surgical microscope, a system that stabilizes intraocular pressure, and a dedicated illumination device, the inside of the eye is visualized three-dimensionally at high magnification.
First, the gel-like vitreous body is removed. Then—depending on the condition—holes and tears are closed and, if necessary, sealed with a laser. Membranes are marked with special dyes and then peeled off with the finest forceps. To stabilize the retina until it has fully healed, a tamponade substance is sometimes introduced into the eye at the end of the procedure. This may be a special gas, which escapes from the eye on its own after one to several weeks and is replaced by fluid produced by the eye itself. Or—if longer-term tamponade is required—silicone oil, which stabilizes the retina until it is removed from the eye in a further operation. In cases of bleeding under the retina (subretinal hemorrhage), for example, a special medication to dissolve the blood clot is applied onto and under the retina, and the bleeding is then displaced with a tamponade.