Adelaide’s former captain, Rory Sloane, recently underwent emergency eye surgery to address a detached retina. The 33-year-old experienced symptoms after a training session last week, marking the second occurrence of a detached retina in the same eye. Sloane is scheduled to consult with a specialist this week to determine the next steps in his treatment.
Taking to Instagram, the two-time best and fairest winner provided a detailed account of the invasive nature of the surgery required for a detached retina. Using a metaphor involving a favorite poster, Sloane explained, “Your retina is like your favorite Tracks mag poster, you know the one with the hot bikini girl on it, maybe a cowboy hat on, let’s call it Belinda for namesake.” Belinda is Sloane’s subtle reference to his wife.
Describing the procedure, Sloane shared, “So Belinda is stuck on a wall, and it is starting to come off, and there is fluid behind… So to do that, they torture you, they pin you down, eye open, and inject you with a couple of locals to make sure you don’t feel a thing.” The surgery involves using a dry ice gun to reattach the retina and remove fluid, followed by injecting the eye with a gas bubble to ensure the retina stays in place.
Comparing it to his previous surgery for a detached retina, Sloane’s recovery this time seems to be progressing more smoothly. Last season, Sloane made a notable comeback from an ACL injury, playing 22 senior games and primarily patrolling a wing.
Despite discussions about his future in 2023, Sloane signed on for the 2024 season, which many anticipate to be his final campaign. His recent surgery allows him to lie on his back and move around, a departure from the restrictions he faced during his previous detached retina surgery.
