Retina Surgery and Vitreoretinal Care in Oman
Diagnosis and treatment for retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration and other diseases at the back of the eye.
Sudden flashes, a shower of new floaters or a curtain over your vision?
These can be signs of a retinal tear or detachment. Call us today for a same-day assessment. +968 2456 4488
Retina surgery and vitreoretinal care treat diseases of the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye, and of the vitreous gel that fills the eye. These include retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration. Depending on the condition, treatment may be eye injections, retinal laser or surgery such as vitrectomy. At Finland Eye Center, retinal surgery for retinal detachment and macular disorders is performed at the Muscat (Qurum), Sohar and Salalah clinics.
Key facts
- Conditions
- Retinal detachment and tears, diabetic retinopathy and macular oedema, macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion, macular hole and epiretinal membrane, vitreous haemorrhage
- Main treatments
- Intravitreal (eye) injections, retinal laser, vitrectomy surgery
- Common tests
- Dilated retinal examination, OCT scan of the retina, retinal photography
- Retinal surgery at
- Muscat (Qurum), Sohar and Salalah; Nizwa patients are referred
- Where to start
- An eye examination at any of our clinics; you are guided to the right specialist
- Urgent symptoms
- Flashes, many new floaters or a shadow over your vision: same-day assessment
Which retinal and vitreous conditions are treated?
Retinal tear and retinal detachment
The retina pulls away from the back of the eye, often after a tear. It usually causes flashes, new floaters or a spreading shadow, without pain, and needs urgent treatment to save vision.
Diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema
High blood sugar damages the small blood vessels of the retina, causing leakage, swelling of the macula or abnormal new vessels. It often has no symptoms early, so yearly checks matter.
Read about diabetic eye careAge-related macular degeneration (AMD)
Wear of the macula, the centre of the retina, that blurs central vision. The “wet” form, with leaking vessels, is usually treated with eye injections.
Retinal vein occlusion
A blocked retinal vein causes bleeding and swelling in the retina and sudden blurred vision in one eye. Treatment targets the swelling.
Macular hole and epiretinal membrane
A small hole or a thin scar layer at the macula distorts or blurs central vision. When it affects vision significantly, it is treated with vitrectomy.
Vitreous haemorrhage
Bleeding into the vitreous gel, often from diabetic eye disease or a retinal tear, causes sudden dark floaters or loss of vision. If it does not clear, vitrectomy can remove it.
Injection, laser or surgery: what is the difference?
Retinal treatments work in different ways. This table is general information; your retina specialist explains which option suits your eye.
| Treatment | What it is | Used for | Where | Visits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-VEGF injection | Medicine injected into the eye after numbing drops | Wet macular degeneration, diabetic macular oedema, retinal vein occlusion | Clinic procedure room | Usually a series, often monthly at first |
| Retinal laser (focal or PRP) | Laser seals leaking vessels or treats areas of retina short of oxygen | Diabetic retinopathy, some retinal tears | Clinic | One or a few sessions |
| Vitrectomy | Surgery that removes the vitreous gel to repair the retina | Retinal detachment, vitreous haemorrhage, macular hole, epiretinal membrane | Operating theatre | Surgery, then follow-up; gas or oil may be used |
Not every condition needs treatment straight away; some are monitored with scans. The plan depends on the diagnosis, how much vision is affected and your general health.
What happens during vitrectomy?
Vitrectomy is retinal surgery in which the surgeon removes the gel inside the eye (the vitreous) to reach and repair the retina.
- The eye is numbed, usually with local anaesthesia; general anaesthesia is sometimes used.
- The surgeon makes tiny openings in the white of the eye and removes the vitreous gel with fine instruments.
- The retina is repaired as needed: bleeding is cleared, scar membranes are peeled, and tears are sealed with laser.
- The eye may be filled with a gas bubble or silicone oil to hold the retina in place while it heals.
- You may be asked to keep your head in a set position for some days. Silicone oil, if used, is usually removed in a later operation.
What are the risks, and what is recovery like?
Retinal treatments are well established, but each carries some risk. Your specialist discusses your personal risk before treatment.
Eye injections
- Brief pressure or discomfort, a small red patch on the white of the eye and a few floaters for a day or two are common.
- Infection inside the eye, raised eye pressure and retinal detachment are rare.
- Contact us the same day if pain, redness or blurred vision gets worse after an injection.
Retinal laser
- Vision may be dazzled or blurred for a few hours after treatment.
- Wide-area laser (PRP) for diabetic retinopathy can reduce side or night vision; it is used to protect central sight from more serious damage.
Vitrectomy
- Vision is blurred while a gas bubble or oil is in the eye and improves over weeks to months.
- Cataract often develops faster after vitrectomy in eyes that still have their natural lens.
- Raised eye pressure, bleeding, infection and re-detachment needing further surgery are possible.
- With a gas bubble, do not fly, travel to high altitude or have nitrous-oxide anaesthesia until your surgeon confirms the gas has gone.
Who will I see for retina care?
At Finland Eye Center, the doctors whose listed specialties include retinal disease are Dr. Saeed Al-Sabbagh and Dr. Ibrahim Al-Hussein. Each doctor’s profile lists their specialties and branches.
You can start with an eye examination at any of our clinics. Retinal surgery is performed at our Muscat (Qurum), Sohar and Salalah clinics; patients seen in Nizwa are referred to one of them. If your retina needs specialist treatment, we guide you to the right specialist.
Retina care: frequently asked questions
What are the warning signs of a retinal detachment?
Warning signs are a sudden increase in floaters (dark spots or threads), flashes of light, especially at the side of your vision, and a dark shadow or curtain spreading across your sight. There is usually no pain. These need urgent same-day examination, because treating a tear before the retina detaches gives the best chance of keeping vision.
What is vitrectomy?
Vitrectomy is retinal surgery in which the surgeon removes the gel inside the eye (the vitreous) through tiny openings to repair a detachment, clear bleeding, or treat a macular hole or scar membrane. At the end, the eye may be filled with a gas bubble or silicone oil to hold the retina in place while it heals.
What should I avoid after retinal surgery with a gas bubble?
Do not fly or travel to high altitude, and do not have nitrous-oxide anaesthesia, until your surgeon confirms the gas has gone. This usually takes a few weeks, depending on the gas used, because the bubble can expand dangerously. You may also be asked to keep your head in a set position for some days.
What are anti-VEGF eye injections, and do they hurt?
Anti-VEGF medicines block a protein that causes leaking and abnormal blood vessels in the retina. They are a main treatment for wet macular degeneration and diabetic macular oedema. The eye is numbed with drops first, so most people feel only brief pressure. Treatment is usually a series of injections, often monthly at first, then spaced out.
Will my vision improve after retinal surgery?
It depends on the condition and how early it is treated. Surgery aims to reattach the retina, clear bleeding or close a macular hole. Vision is blurred while a gas bubble or oil is in the eye and usually improves over weeks to months, but some loss can be permanent, especially if the centre of the retina was affected for a long time. Your specialist explains what to expect for your eye.
Where can I see a retina specialist at Finland Eye Center?
Start with an eye examination at any of our clinics in Oman. The ophthalmologist checks your retina and, if specialist treatment is needed, guides you to a doctor whose specialties include retinal disease. Retinal surgery is performed at our Muscat (Qurum), Sohar and Salalah clinics; patients seen in Nizwa are referred to one of them. For sudden flashes, floaters or a shadow over your vision, call the same day.
Sources
- National Eye Institute (NEI): Retinal Detachment
- National Eye Institute (NEI): Diabetic Retinopathy
- National Eye Institute (NEI): Age-Related Macular Degeneration
This page is general information and does not replace a medical consultation. Your ophthalmologist will recommend the treatment that suits your eyes.
Book a retina assessment
If you have diabetes, blurred central vision or new floaters, book an eye examination. For sudden symptoms, call us the same day.