The use of air to attempt to reattach the retina predates Jules Gonin’s discovery of the underlying etiology of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. In the 1930’s, Rosengren frequently used air to improve the anatomic success rate of his surgical procedures. In the 1950’s and 1960’s many retinal surgeons used intraocular air but struggled with the main limitation of the device, that is, the relatively short duration of the gas within the vitreous cavity. Fortuitous events allowed Dr. Paul Sullivan to introduce the first expansile gas, sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), to Dr. Edward W.D. Norton and his colleagues at the University of Miami in the late 1960’s. The use of SF6 helped revolutionize retinal detachment surgery and allowed for further advances in treating other posterior segment diseases.

Submitted by Christopher F. Blodi from the Cogan Ophthalmic History Society.