What is scleral buckle?What is scleral buckle?What is scleral buckle used for?How is a scleral buckle done?What is the recovery period after scleral buckle surgery?Are there any risks associated with scleral buckle surgery?What is scleral buckle? Top
Scleral buckle is a surgical procedure used to repair a retinal detachment.
What is scleral buckle used for? Top
Scleral buckle is one of several surgical procedures that can be used to fix a retinal detachment.
The retina is the thin layer of nerve cells that lines the back of the eyeball. The retina functions
like the film inside a camera - it receives the image that we see. A
retinal detachment causes part
of the vision to disappear. Reattaching the retina is necessary to restore the lost area of vision.
Surgery to reattach the retina is similar to repairing wallpaper that has come loose from a wall.
How is a scleral buckle done? Top
Scleral buckle surgery is outpatient surgery done in an operating room - typically in a hospital or
ambulatory surgery center. The surgery is done using local or general anesthesia. The scleral
buckle is a thin strip of silicone that looks like a belt. It is secured around the eyeball under the
thin tissue that covers the eyeball (conjunctiva). It is placed behind the eyelids where it is not
visible. The buckle indents the eyewall in toward the detached retina, much like a belt around our
waist pushes in toward our belly. Essentially, it moves the wall of the eye closer to the detached
retina - narrowing the space between the two layers that need to be together again. The effect would
be similar to shifting the wall of a room closer to the loose wallpaper within the room - making it
easier for the wallpaper to settle back where it belongs. The surgery usually involves the use of
laser or cryotherapy to form a permanent adhesion ("spot weld") between
the retina and the wall of the eye.
What is the recovery period after scleral buckle surgery? Top
Patients go home the day of surgery or the day after surgery. The first postoperative visit takes
place the day after surgery, at which time postoperative instructions are given. Several different
types of drops will be used by the patient at home for approximately one month. If an air or gas
bubble was placed into the eye during surgery, it may be necessary for the patient to keep their head
in a certain position (left side down, for example) as much as possible for two weeks after surgery.
Some patients notice improvement in vision immediately after surgery, and for others improvement can
take several months. Pain can be managed with prescription pain or nonprescription pain medications
for several days. The recovery period usually lasts several weeks. Most patients do not resume
normal activities for at least two weeks. The vision can continue to improve for six months after
surgery.
Are there any risks associated with scleral buckle surgery? Top
Any surgery has some associated risk. Scleral buckle surgery has been well studied for over 40
years. Complications that could occur include infection, double vision, bleeding, and others.
Some complications are more serious than others. Fortunately, serious complications are rare.
As with any surgery, the surgeon and the patient must weigh the benefits of surgery against the
potential risks.
The White Eye Associates' ophthalmologist who specialize in diagnosing and treating retina & vitreous disorders is Michael J. Barondes, M.D.
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