If you have any symptoms of retinal detachment, you should seek medical care right away, says VanderBeek.“If there’s a problem with the retina, it needs to be treated fairly soon, depending on what your doctor sees. Once the detachment moves through the macula, then you have about a week to have it repaired. It’s not an emergency for which you have to go to the operating room right away, but it still needs to be corrected sooner rather than later,” he says.Surgical OptionsIn nearly all cases, surgery is used to repair a retinal tear, hole, or detachment. If the retina isn’t fully detached, laser surgery or freezing can be used to create a scar that keeps the retina attached to the eye wall.The most common surgical methods of repairing a detached retina include the following:Pneumatic Retinopexy In this procedure (often performed in an office setting), a gas bubble is inserted inside the eye to push the retina into place, and then a freezing device seals it against the back wall of the eye. People who have this surgery have to keep their head in a specific position for eight hours or more to have the eye heal properly and reduce the chances of complications.Scleral Buckle A scleral buckle is a piece of silicone sponge, rubber, or semihard plastic that is placed on the outside white part of the eye (the sclera) while a person is under local or general anesthesia. It’s then sewn to the eye, where it typically stays throughout a person’s life.The component pushes in, or “buckles,” the sclera toward the middle of the eye to keep the retina in place. Freezing (often), heat (less common), or laser therapy are used to scar the retina and hold it in place prior to the surgery to prevent a retinal tear from happening again.Vitrectomy A vitrectomy is similar to a pneumatic retinopexy, but the surgery is more involved and is usually performed in a hospital rather than a doctor’s office. Numbing drops, shots, or general anesthesia are used to make sure there is no pain during the procedure. During the surgery, very small openings are made in the eye wall, and most of the vitreous (the gel-like fluid that fills the eye) is removed.After that, the surgeon may inject an air or gas bubble into the eye to hold the retina in place and may use a laser or freeze the retina to reattach or repair it. The vitreous may be replaced with a clear fluid.Alternative and Complementary TherapiesThere are no alternative or complementary therapies to fix a detached retina, says VanderBeek.Prevention of a Detached RetinaThere is no way to prevent aging, which is a major risk factor for getting a detached retina, says VanderBeek. Wearing protective eye gear while you participate in any risky activities, such as playing sports, can help reduce your chances of injury.