ENThe retina is the thin, light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye, the «film» that captures the image; in Germany its diseases are treated with injections, laser and surgery. Retinal disease shows up as crooked lines, a blurred central spot, a dark «curtain» or flashes.
Retina treatment in Germany is provided by retina specialists, ophthalmologists focused on the retina and the vitreous, the clear gel inside the eye. Below: diseases, examinations, injections and laser, surgery and organising treatment; other eye conditions are covered under ophthalmology in Germany.
Which retinal diseases are treated
Treatment covers macular diseases, detachment, diabetic damage and inherited dystrophies. The macula, the retina’s centre, is what we read and recognise faces with; it is affected by age-related macular degeneration, macular oedema in diabetes or after a vein occlusion, macular holes and epiretinal membranes, thin «films» that wrinkle the retinal surface.
In a detachment, the retina lifts off the back of the eye. In diabetic retinopathy its small vessels are damaged, and in advanced cases fragile new vessels grow. Inherited retinal dystrophies are rare diseases that run in families. Each disease has its own path, so treatment starts with an accurate diagnosis.
Examining the retina
The retina is examined by viewing the back of the eye through a dilated pupil and with optical coherence tomography (OCT). The dilating drops blur vision for a few hours, so do not drive. OCT is a painless, contact-free scan showing the retinal layers in cross-section.
Angiography shows the retinal vessels using a dye; OCT angiography needs none. If an inherited disease is suspected, retinal function is tested electrophysiologically and genetic counselling is arranged. Bring reports, recent OCT scans on a disc and a list of past injections with drug names and dates.
Eye injections and laser
Injections and laser treat many retinal diseases without surgery. An intravitreal injection puts a drug into the eye through a fine needle after numbing drops. Usually these are anti-VEGF drugs, which slow abnormal vessel growth and reduce swelling in wet macular degeneration, diabetic macular oedema and oedema after a vein occlusion; the US National Eye Institute explains the procedure.
For an international patient, the key point: this is a course, not a one-off procedure. At first injections are usually given once a month, then the intervals follow OCT results; some people can eventually stop, others need injections for years. So continuing at home after starting in Germany is discussed in advance.
Laser coagulation helps in diabetic retinopathy and with retinal tears before a detachment. The laser «welds» the retina around a tear or treats areas of diseased vessels so they shrink and stop leaking. It is an outpatient procedure under numbing drops.
Retinal surgery: vitrectomy
Vitrectomy is used for retinal detachment, macular holes and epiretinal membranes, and in diabetes with heavy bleeding or scarring. A detachment is an emergency: flashes, many new floaters or a shadow or curtain in your vision mean seeing an ophthalmologist the same day wherever you are, not waiting to organise a trip.
Put simply, the surgeon removes the vitreous, the gel filling the eye, through three tiny openings, then puts the retina back in place or peels a membrane off it from inside. Finally the eye is filled with gas or silicone oil, which presses the retina into place while it heals.
With gas, a specific head position may be needed for a few days to a few weeks, and flying is not allowed until the gas is absorbed, which can take several weeks depending on the gas; the surgeon sets the timeframe, so the stay is planned with a margin. Silicone oil is removed later in a second operation. How much vision returns depends on how long and how badly the retina was damaged.
Where the retina is treated in Germany
The retina is treated at university and specialist eye clinics across Germany. In Munich, Prof. Christos Haritoglou has been lead physician of the Herzog Carl Theodor Eye Clinic since 2015, covering retinal and vitreous surgery for detachment, diabetic retinopathy and macular disease, plus injections and laser. Prof. Maximilian Schultheiß also operates there, including on macular holes and epiretinal membranes, and Prof. Michael Koss gives injections for macular degeneration and retinal vein thromboses. The Eye Clinic of LMU University Hospital has been directed since 2015 by Prof. Siegfried Priglinger, whose focus includes macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and vitrectomy.
At the University Eye Hospital Tübingen, Prof. Karl Bartz-Schmidt has been director since 2000; his field is retinal and vitreous surgery and retinal tumours. Prof. Katarina Stingl runs its clinic for inherited retinal dystrophies and is spokesperson of the university’s Centre for Rare Eye Diseases. At the Eye Centre of University Hospital Cologne, Prof. Tim U. Krohne heads the section for retinal diseases and retinal surgery. This is not a ranking: the clinic is matched to the diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I need to stay in Germany for retina treatment?
It depends on the method; the doctor gives the timeframe. Injection courses usually start monthly, so repeat visits are planned or the course continues at home with a written plan. After surgery with gas, flying is not allowed until the gas is absorbed, which can take several weeks.
Does an eye injection hurt?
As a rule, no: it is done under local anaesthesia and is painless for the patient. The eye is numbed with drops and cleaned to prevent infection, then the drug is injected through a very fine needle. The whole procedure takes a few minutes.
Will my vision recover after retina treatment?
No one can promise that: it depends on the disease and on how long and how badly the retina was damaged. Injections for wet macular degeneration and macular oedema mainly slow or stop vision loss, though some people see better. In a detachment, early treatment helps prevent permanent loss.
How AlenMed organises retina treatment
AlenMed starts with the documents: reports are translated, and the OCT and angiography discs and the injection list go to a retina specialist at a partner clinic. The clinic proposes dates and sends a cost estimate (Kostenvoranschlag); for orientation, see eye surgery prices.
The trip follows the method: repeat visits or a plan for the doctor at home for injections, a stay without flying and check-ups after gas surgery. An interpreter attends appointments and AlenMed helps with the visa invitation; its office is in Munich, partner clinics are across Germany.
This material is for information only and is not an offer. The treatment method is decided by an ophthalmologist at an in-person appointment.
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