Retinal Surgery
Advanced surgical care for complex retinal conditions.
As a specialist vitreoretinal surgeon, Dr. Dean van der Westhuizen provides the full spectrum of retinal surgery at the Lowveld Eye Institute — Mpumalanga’s dedicated eye hospital.
Retinal Detachment
A retinal detachment is a medical emergency where the retina pulls away from the back of the eye.
- Symptoms: sudden flashes of light, new floaters, or a shadow across vision.
- Treatment: urgent surgery (vitrectomy or scleral buckle) to reattach the retina and preserve vision.
Epiretinal Membrane (ERM) & Macular Pucker
Scar tissue can form over the macula, causing distortion and blurred vision.
- Symptoms: straight lines appear wavy, fine detail becomes difficult to see.
- Treatment: membrane peel surgery restores the macula’s surface and improves clarity.
Macular Hole (Full Thickness)
A small break can form in the centre of the macula, leading to central vision loss.
- Treatment: vitrectomy with gas tamponade allows the hole to close and vision to recover.
Intraocular Foreign Bodies
Penetrating eye injuries may leave foreign material inside the eye.
- Treatment: microsurgical removal of the object combined with vitrectomy, antibiotics, and retinal repair as needed.
- Goal: save the eye and preserve vision whenever possible.
Vitreous Floaters & Floater Surgery
While most floaters are harmless, in severe cases they can interfere with daily activities.
- Treatment: vitrectomy (floater-ectomy) removes the vitreous gel and clears the visual axis. Surgery is reserved for carefully selected patients with significant symptoms.
Other Surgical Retina Conditions
- Vitreous haemorrhage – clearing blood from the eye to restore sight.
- Tractional retinal detachment – common in advanced diabetes, requiring delicate membrane dissection.
- Endophthalmitis (severe infection) – urgent vitrectomy with intravitreal antibiotics.
- Retinal tears – sealed with laser or cryotherapy to prevent detachment.
Why Choose Specialist Retinal Surgery?
- Advanced training & experience
- State-of-the-art theatres – designed for precision microsurgery.
- Regional expertise – serving patients from Mpumalanga, Swaziland, and Mozambique.
- Patient-first approach – combining skill with compassion in life-changing eye surgery.
What to Expect
- Comprehensive assessment – detailed examination with OCT and retinal imaging.
- Clear discussion – your diagnosis and surgical options explained in simple terms.
- Specialist surgery – performed under advanced microscopes and systems for optimal outcomes.
- Follow-up care – tailored recovery plans and monitoring for long-term vision health.
Book a Retina Consultation
If you have sudden vision changes, floaters, flashes, or are living with a retinal condition, expert care can make the difference between vision saved and vision lost.
Call today to schedule your retinal surgery consultation with Dr. Dean van der Westhuizen at the Lowveld Eye Institute.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an epiretinal membrane and how does surgery restore normal vision?
An epiretinal membrane develops when fibrous scar tissue accumulates over the macula, causing visual distortion where straight lines appear distinctly wavy. To treat this condition, Dr. Dean performs a specialized microsurgical membrane peel. This intricate procedure removes the scar tissue layer, effectively restoring the smooth surface of the macula and improving fine visual details.
How is a full-thickness macular hole surgically repaired at the institute?
A full-thickness macular hole is a structural break forming in the center of the macula, causing central blindness. Repair requires a specialized vitrectomy procedure combined with an internal gas tamponade. The intraocular gas bubble exerts precise pressure against the retinal edges, allowing the structural defect to close completely while the patient recovers over time.
What clinical approach is taken for removing penetrating intraocular foreign bodies?
For penetrating eye injuries, immediate microsurgical intervention is required to remove embedded intraocular foreign bodies safely. Dr. Dean performs a complex vitrectomy under advanced microscopes, combining foreign body extraction with immediate prophylactic intraocular antibiotics and targeted retinal repair. This highly specialized approach focuses entirely on saving the eye structure and preserving the patient's existing eyesight.
Under what circumstances is vitrectomy surgery recommended for severe vitreous floaters?
While most vitreous floaters are entirely benign, severe opacities can significantly obscure the visual axis and impair daily functioning. For carefully selected patients experiencing disabling symptoms, a specialized vitrectomy, or floater-ectomy, is performed. This delicate microsurgery completely removes the clouded vitreous gel from the eye and replaces it, successfully restoring a clear, unobstructed visual field.
How does Dr. Dean manage a complex vitreous haemorrhage inside the eye?
A vitreous haemorrhage involves internal bleeding that fills the vitreous cavity, blocking light and causing profound vision loss. Dr. Dean performs an advanced therapeutic vitrectomy to surgically clear the trapped blood from the eye's visual axis. This microsurgical clearance restores light transmission to the retina, allowing for immediate visual improvement and detailed inspection of underlying retinal tissues.
What surgical interventions are used to address advanced tractional retinal detachment from diabetes?
Advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy can cause dense fibrovascular scar tissue to pull the retina away. Dr. Dean treats tractional retinal detachment using highly delicate microsurgical dissection. He carefully peels away the restrictive membranes, relieves the physical vitreoretinal traction, and secures the detached retina back in place using specialized laser photocoagulation or intraocular tamponade agents.
Why should patients choose the Lowveld Eye Institute for complex vitreoretinal operations?
The Lowveld Eye Institute serves as a purpose-built ophthalmic hospital equipped with specialized operating theatres designed for high-precision vitreoretinal microsurgery. Dr. Dean provides advanced training, extensive surgical experience, and regional expertise to patients across Mpumalanga, Swaziland, and Mozambique. The institute fully combines leading world-class surgical technology with a highly compassionate, patient-first approach.