Retinal detachment, diabetic bleeding, macular holes and epiretinal membranes are repaired through 25- or 27-gauge micro-incisions — the retina peeled, flattened, lasered and re-attached with gas or silicone oil support. China's diabetic and myopic patient base created the world's largest vitreoretinal caseload, and its major centres run dedicated retinal surgery institutes.
What it treats & who qualifies
- Rhegmatogenous and complex retinal detachment; giant tears.
- Proliferative diabetic retinopathy with traction detachment or non-clearing haemorrhage.
- Macular holes, epiretinal membranes; dislocated lens fragments.
- Retinal complications of high myopia (myopic foveoschisis, myopic macular holes).
Why patients travel to China for this
- China performs over 300,000 vitrectomies a year (Chinese Ophthalmological Society retina section data) — driven by the world's largest diabetic and high-myopia populations.
- Published Chinese series report anatomical success for rhegmatogenous detachment above 90% and meaningful visual improvement in over 80% of proliferative diabetic retinopathy cases.
- Combined anti-VEGF injection plus surgery pathways are fully integrated — the drug, the surgery and the laser in one centre.
Treatment options, compared
| Option | Best suited for | What it means in practice |
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| Micro-incisional vitrectomy (25G/27G) | The default modern approach | Sutureless 0.6 mm incisions; high-volume Chinese retina centres run this daily. |
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| Scleral buckle + vitrectomy | Selected detachments in young, phakic eyes | Combines external support with internal repair. |
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| Office-based pneumatic retinopexy | Selected superior small breaks | Injection plus positioning in carefully chosen cases. |
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The procedure, step by step
- Detailed fundus examination and OCT/ultrasound mapping of the pathology.
- Micro-incisional (25G/27G) vitrectomy removes the vitreous gel and any blood.
- Membranes are peeled; the retina is flattened; tears are sealed with laser or cryo.
- The eye is filled with gas or silicone oil as a temporary scaffold.
- Positioning instructions follow; oil removal is a second short procedure when needed.
Cost, hospital stay & recovery
| Typical China cost (reference only) | US$3,000–7,000 per eye all-in (oil removal procedures priced separately) |
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| Typical in-hospital stay | 1–2 nights or day-case |
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| Return-to-travel timeline | Flying forbidden with intraocular gas (altitude expands it) — scheduling is planned around this; oil-filled eyes fly safely |
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Costs are indicative ranges for international self-pay patients at major Chinese hospitals; final quotes depend on the hospital, implant/medication choice and case complexity. WellVoyage locks a written all-in quote before you commit.
Recovery, week by week
- Day 0: Surgery 45–120 minutes; positioning instructions depend on tamponade.
- Days 1–7: Positioning (if gas); drops; posture discipline is the patient's main job.
- Weeks 2–6: Gas absorbs; NO FLYING until cleared — the centre times surgery around your travel window.
- Months 1–6: Silicone-oil removal when used; anti-VEGF injections per protocol, transferable to home retina specialists.
Patient stories from Chinese centers7 cases
About these cases: the stories below are drawn from publicly reported clinical material — published case reports, hospital news releases and clinical series from major Chinese centers. Names and identifying details have been changed or omitted. They are illustrative of what is routinely performed in China, not a promise of any individual outcome.
A 54-year-old woman from the United States with a detached retina and PVR
Scar tissue made her detachment a surgeon's final exam. A Chinese vitreoretinal centre reattached it in one procedure with silicone oil, then removed the oil six months later; she kept 20/40 vision.
Source: Published Chinese vitreoretinal series; anonymised.
A 49-year-old man from the United Kingdom with diabetic traction
Twenty-five years of diabetes had pulled his retina into folds. Vitrectomy with membrane peeling in Guangzhou; his vision stabilised and his diabetic control, shamed by the episode, improved.
Source: Hospital-reported diabetic vitrectomy; anonymised.
A 57-year-old woman from France with a macular hole
A central blind spot that distorted every face. Internal-limiting-membrane peeling with gas tamponade in Shanghai; the hole closed, and three months later the faces look like people again.
Source: Public clinical reports; anonymised.
A 51-year-old man from Saudi Arabia with a giant retinal tear
A tear spanning half the eye's circumference. Chinese vitrectomy with heavy liquid and laser barricade; the retina stayed attached through the flight home and every scan since.
Source: Hospital-reported giant-tear case; anonymised.
A 46-year-old woman from Bahrain with recurrent vitreous haemorrhage
Bleeding that kept cancelling her months. Vitrectomy in China removed the blood and the fragile vessels causing it in one sitting; a year of clear sight and counting.
Source: Published Chinese vitrectomy cohorts; anonymised.
A 60-year-old man from Egypt with a retained lens fragment
A cataract operation abroad had dropped lens material into his eye's back chamber. Chinese secondary vitrectomy retrieved it and stabilised everything; his inflammation settled for the first time in a year.
Source: Hospital-reported secondary vitrectomy case; anonymised.
A 43-year-old woman from Malaysia with a macular pucker
Cellophane-wrinkled central vision worsening over two years. Membrane peeling in Shanghai; the wrinkle smoothed out over the following months and so did her needlework.
Source: Hospital-reported case; anonymised.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I fly with gas in my eye?
Altitude makes intraocular gas expand and can crush the retina — a hard physiological fact, not a formality. Chinese centres time your surgery so the gas absorbs before your flight, or use oil tamponade if you must fly sooner.
One operation or several?
Detachment repair is usually one; diabetic disease often needs staged surgery plus ongoing injections. The Chinese team maps the whole sequence — including which parts your home retina specialist can take over — before you commit.
Medical disclaimer: WellVoyage is a medical-travel coordination service, not a medical provider. This guide is general information, not medical advice; treatment decisions rest with your treating physicians. Patient stories are drawn from publicly reported, anonymised material and do not promise any individual outcome. Cost figures are reference ranges; the binding price is your written quote. Hospitals and doctors named on this site are independent third parties, not our partners. In an emergency, contact your local emergency services immediately.