Study on comparison between gas and silicone oil in tamponading retinal breaks.

Retinal breaks, if not addressed quickly and efficiently, may cause visual loss. There are variety of therapeutic options to address these retinal tears due to substantial improvements in ophthalmology over the years. Gas and silicone oil tamponade are two of the most widely implemented methods. An extremely viscous, clear silicone oil is injected into the vitreous cavity where it forms a physical barrier by pushing the neurosensory retina onto the retinal pigment epithelium. This is called silicone oil tamponade. The oil's high specific gravity allows it to press against the retina to successfully seal retinal breaks and stop future separation. This is highly useful in cases of complicated retinal detachments and giant retinal tears. This tamponade is typically kept in place for several months, providing support for an extended span of time. For gas tamponade, a short-lived gas bubble like C3F8 is pushed into the vitreous cavity. The gas bubble swells and presses against the retinal breaks to aid in the neurosensory layer's reattachment. It is frequently preferred in Retinal detachments that are not complicated. The key benefit of gas tamponade is that it can spontaneously disperse, negating the need for additional removal procedures. 76 participants have been selected for this study after splitting the them into two equal groups. Both groups will undergo Pars Plana Vitrectomy with Membrane Peeling and Endo-laser with insertion of silicone oil or Gas. Both these groups will be explained post operative care, head positioning and prognosis of the surgery. Each patient will be evaluated in detail on their one month follow up using Snellen's Chart, Fundus Photography and OCT. In this study, we seek to identify a more effective tamponade agent that might benefit patients over the long term in a rural setting where even routine follow-ups are challenging for the local population.