With the increasing cost of healthcare in the U.S, health insurance has become a necessity for as many people as can afford it. Let us see about detached retina surgery Cost.
For those without health insurance, the cost of treatment options and surgeries is an issue of concern. One of the concerns of an aging population is age-related ailments, and retinal detachments are one such ailment, more common between the ages of 40 to 70 years.
Retinal detachment is a threat to vision, and since vision is one of our key senses, treatment options are usually necessary. This leads to the question of how much it’ll cost to rectify this problem.
How Much Does Detached Retina Surgery Cost?
Retinal detachments are treated with surgery, and for those without any form of health insurance. Detached Retina surgery can cost anywhere between $3,000 to $10000 (per eye). However, this depends on several different factors. These factors include where you live, what type of procedure you’re undergoing, and the professional performing the surgery.
Extra Costs you Can Incur
Before performing the surgery, it’s necessary to perform an eye exam which can cost anywhere from $65 to $130 depending on where you live.
You will also spend extra money if there is an incidence of retinal re-detachment, adding to the overall cost.
Since laser surgeries repair tears or holes that are noticed on time, this procedure can be done in the doctor’s office. Procedures requiring going under general anesthesia will put more strain on your pockets.
Estimated Prices for Certain Procedures
While clinics hardly give specific figures, certain estimates have been made regarding specific surgical procedures.
On MDsave, an estimate of $7986 was given for a specific procedure called a vitrectomy, with an average range of
$7603 to $9520, depending on where the surgery will occur.
Another estimate of $3000 to $5000 was given regarding another type of procedure called scleral buckle on NVision.
For individuals with health insurance, most of these costs are covered by the insurer.
What is Retinal Detachment?
While the problem of retinal detachment isn’t typical for young people, it’s still important to know all about it; what it is, the possible causes, those at risk for it, and after-treatment options.
Retinal detachment is an eye condition where the retina, a tissue in the eye responsible for converting light into neural signals, gets separated from its underlying supporting tissues.
Causes of Retinal Detachment
1 A hole or tear in the retina can cause fluid to build up, pulling it away from the underlying structures. This often occurs in older individuals.
2. Scar tissue on the retina can cause it to contract and pull away from its surrounding tissue. This is common in diabetic people.
3. It can also be caused by other retinal diseases, severe short-sightedness, or cancers behind the retina.
What are the Symptoms to Look Out for?
Retinal detachment is an emergency that needs to be attended to quickly. You’ll need to know the symptoms to look out for. They include:
- blurry vision
- flashes of light in one or both eyes
- the sudden appearance of dots or lines in your vision
- dark shadows across your vision
Retinal Detachment Surgery Procedures
This condition needs to be treated by surgery, and there are some surgical procedures for retinal tears or detachments.
1. Vitrectomy- in this surgery, the doctor removes a fluid-like gel called the vitreous humor from your eye to repair the tear in the retina. Usually, the vitreous is replaced by gas or silicone to push back the retina to its normal position.
2. Laser surgery- a laser beam is passed through the pupil and focused on the retinal tear. This will weld it to the underlying tissue, preventing fluid from building under it. The treatment is used for retinal tears.
3. Cryopexy- This procedure involves freezing and sealing the area around the tear to promote scar formation, which is used to treat the tear in the retina.
4. Scleral Buckle- In this procedure, the surgeon attaches silicone or a sponge to your sclera around the site of the detachment to push it towards the retina. The sclera is the outer layer of the eyeball.
5. Pneumatic retinopexy- a gas bubble is injected into the eye in this procedure. This helps to push the detached retina back into place.
Risks Associated With this Surgery
As with other surgical procedures, certain complications could occur after the surgery. These complications could occur early, just after the surgery, or could occur late, a couple of weeks after. Let’s look at some of the risks
1. Increased eye pressure may result in blurred vision, nausea, and sickness.
2. Eye infection, which could cause severe pain and permanent loss of vision if untreated.
3. Re-detachment of the retina. The old retinal tears might reopen, or new retinal tears/detachment might form.
4. Cataracts or cloudy lenses could develop after the surgery.
Conclusion
Despite the cost, a retinal detachment that’s left untreated leads to permanent loss of vision. Treatment options aren’t optional for this condition so getting health insurance to cover part of the cost is vital.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common cost of retinal detachment?
Advanced age is the most common cause of this condition since it changes the eye and the entire body.
Is surgery necessary to fix a retinal detachment?
Yes. Surgery is required to correct the condition even at its earliest stage.
How long does it take to recover from a retinal detachment surgery?
On average, it’ll take 2 to 4 weeks to recover, but this varies based on individuals and the procedures involved.
How urgent is surgery for a detached retina?
This condition is usually an emergency and requires urgent surgery to avoid degeneration, risking vision loss.
