Retinal Detachment Surgery Week 1: What to Expect

General information about typical recovery, not medical advice. Every eye and every surgery is different, and your surgeon's instructions override anything on this page. Read our full disclaimer.

Week 1 is the sorest and the strictest week. If you had a scleral buckle, expect a red, achy, swollen eye. StatPearls lists lid swelling, conjunctival swelling, and corneal swelling with associated inflammation as early post-buckle effects. The buckle is a silicone band sewn on the outside of the eye, and ASRS notes it stays there permanently and is not visible from the outside.

If you had pneumatic retinopexy, the eye is usually far less sore, but positioning is the whole story. ASRS says the patient maintains a specific head posture to position the gas bubble over the retinal tear, and AAO says you must keep a very specific position as your doctor recommends for a few days.

Vision this week is typically poor and that is expected. With gas in the eye you are looking through the bubble, and after a buckle the eye is swollen and inflamed. AAO advises wearing an eye patch for as long as your doctor recommends and limiting activity.

Usually normal at this stage

aching, sore eye, especially after a scleral buckle
redness and lid swelling
watering and light sensitivity
very blurry vision, or a large dark bubble if gas was used
floaters and flashes
neck and back soreness from positioning

Still off-limits

hold the exact head position your surgeon assigned, including while sleeping
use prescribed drops on schedule
wear the patch or shield as directed
no rubbing or pressing on the eye
no flying, mountain travel, or scuba diving if gas was used
no nitrous oxide anesthesia while gas is in the eye

Call your surgeon now if you notice any of these

A sudden burst of many new floaters, new flashing lights, or a dark shadow or gray curtain in your field of vision. NEI calls these signs of a medical emergency and AAO lists them as reasons to seek immediate care
A sudden decrease or loss of vision, or vision that was improving and then clearly gets worse
Pain that keeps increasing rather than settling, or pain not relieved by your prescribed drops
Signs of very high eye pressure: a deep hard ache with nausea or vomiting, halos around lights, or severe pain. StatPearls lists raised intraocular pressure as a known complication of gas tamponade
Signs of infection or buckle trouble: worsening redness, thick discharge, and increasing pain. StatPearls notes buckle extrusion or infection presents with pain, redness, and discharge
New or worsening double vision, which StatPearls attributes to mechanical muscle restriction or ischemia after buckling and which has treatment options
Any planned anesthesia while you still have a gas bubble. Tell the anesthesia team you have intraocular gas and that nitrous oxide must not be used. ASRS states nitrous gas anesthesia should be strictly avoided when a gas bubble has been used
Any planned flight, high-altitude trip, or dive before your surgeon confirms the gas bubble is gone. AAO warns this can cause severe pain, permanent vision loss, or even blindness

These warning signs after retinal detachment surgery can point to problems that need same-day care. Do not wait for your next scheduled visit. If you cannot reach your surgeon's office, use their on-call line, or go to an emergency room.

Sources: National Eye Institute (NIH); American Academy of Ophthalmology; StatPearls Publishing / NCBI Bookshelf; American Society of Retina Specialists

Sources

Scleral Buckling (StatPearls) StatPearls Publishing / NCBI Bookshelf. Accessed 2026-08-25.
Retinal Detachment American Society of Retina Specialists. Accessed 2026-08-25.
Detached Retina Treatment American Academy of Ophthalmology. Accessed 2026-08-25.
Positioning After Retinal Surgery American Academy of Ophthalmology. Accessed 2026-08-25.

Retinal Detachment Surgery Week 1: What to Expect

Usually normal at this stage

Still off-limits

More on retinal detachment surgery recovery

Sources