A silicone sponge (with air filled cells) is a cylindrical element that comes in various sizes.
[citation needed] Retinal detachment surgery usually also involves the use of cryotherapy or laser photocoagulation.
The laser or cryotherapy forms a permanent adhesion around the retinal break and prevents further accumulation of fluid and re-detachment.
[1] Scleral buckles are done using local or general anesthesia and are often done as outpatient procedures.
[2] Results from three randomized controlled trials of 274 patients comparing retinal detachment outcomes from pneumatic retinopexy versus scleral buckle found some evidence suggesting that scleral buckle was less likely to result in a recurrence of retinal detachment than pneumatic retinopexy but that overall evidence is of low quality and insufficient.