I had retinal detachment surgery 11 years ago. Can I ride the Tower of Terror in Disneyland?
JUL 08, 2016
Question:
I had retinal detachment surgery 11 years ago—can I ride the Tower of Terror in Disneyland?
Answer:
I love that ride! Tower of Terror features vertical acceleration and free falling. There is no evidence to suggest that such a ride can damage your eyes.
As for some of the more aggressive, high speed roller coasters, the safety of these rides would depend on the type of surgery the patient had. If the patient had a scleral buckle and/or vitrectomy, then I think the risk is exceedingly low. However, if the patient had a pneumatic retinopexy (an in-office procedure with a gas bubble) then I do think the risk is a little higher and I would probably avoid these kinds of rides. The stability of the retina 11 years after surgery is considerably greater after vitrectomy/buckle then pneumatic retinopexy. So again, it all depends on exactly what type of surgery the patient had. Check with your surgeon to be sure.