Is a red eye normal after retinal detachment surgery?

What's normal

StatPearls lists conjunctival swelling, lid swelling, and corneal swelling with associated inflammation among the early effects after scleral buckling, and redness travels with all of that.

Vitrectomy-based repairs create small incisions through the white of the eye, and ASRS notes that vitrectomy incisions today are often self-sealing and about half a millimeter across. Even small incisions leave the eye red for a while.

A patch of bright red on the white of the eye is a surface bruise, called a subconjunctival hemorrhage. It looks worse than it is and typically fades over a couple of weeks. AAO notes patients wear a patch for a period after surgery and use prescribed drops, which help settle the inflammation.

Usually most noticeable in week 1 and clearly fading by weeks 2 to 4.

When it stops being normal

Redness that worsens instead of improving, especially with thick yellow or green discharge, increasing pain, or falling vision, needs a same-day call. StatPearls notes that buckle infection or extrusion presents with pain, redness, and discharge, and ASRS lists infection among the possible complications of retinal surgery.