

The pressure of the scleral buckle can raise the fluid pressure inside the eyeball. ĭetachment of the choroid (a part of the tissue that forms the eyeball) or swelling in the retinal area may delay healing. PVR usually requires additional treatment, including vitrectomy surgery. The most common cause of failure in surgery for retinal detachment is a type of scarring on the retina, called proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), that can cause the retina to detach again. Most of these complications do not happen very often. Scleral buckling poses some short-term and long-term risks. If the detachment affected the macula, good vision after surgery is still possible but less likely. Placing a scleral buckle reattaches the retina in most cases.footnote 1Ĭhances for good vision after surgery are higher if the macula was still attached before surgery. It is rarely helpful on its own when scar tissue tugging on the retina has caused the detachment (traction detachment). Scleral buckling is effective in supporting a tear, hole, or break in the retina that has caused the detachment.
Buckle retina surgery Patch#
You may have to wear a patch over the eye for a day or more. Your eye doctor may put drops in your eye that prevent infection and keep the pupil from opening wide (dilating) or closing (constricting). Your eye may be swollen, red, or tender for several weeks. You may have some pain in your eye and your vision may be blurry for a few days after the surgery. In most cases, the buckle will stay on the eye forever. The scarring helps keep this area from moving so that a seal can form between the retina and the layer beneath it. The buckle pushes the sclera toward the middle of the eye, relieving the pull on the retina and allowing the tear to settle against the wall of the eye.Įxtreme cold (cryopexy) or light (laser photocoagulation) is used to scar the area around the tear. In scleral buckling surgery, the buckle is placed against the outer surface of the eye and sewn onto the eye to keep it in place. Repeat surgeries or more complex detachments may take longer.Ī scleral buckle is a piece of silicone sponge, rubber, or semi-hard plastic. Right before surgery, the doctor will use eyedrops to dilate your pupils and may trim your eyelashes to keep them out of the way.Ī first-time surgery usually lasts 1 to 2 hours. The surgery takes place in an operating room, usually on an outpatient basis (you go home the same day).īefore the surgery, your eye doctor may patch both of your eyes and have you stay in bed to keep the detachment from spreading. The seal holds the layers of the eye together and keeps fluid from getting between them. Usually extreme cold (cryopexy) or, less commonly, heat (diathermy) or light (laser photocoagulation) is used to scar the retina and hold it in place until a seal forms between the retina and the layer beneath it. The buckle effect may cover only the area behind the detachment, or it may encircle the eyeball like a ring.īy itself, the buckle does not prevent a retinal break from opening again. This buckling effect on the sclera relieves the pull (traction) on the retina, allowing the retinal tear to settle against the wall of the eye. The element pushes in, or 'buckles,' the sclera toward the middle of the eye. The buckling element is usually left in place permanently. The material is sewn to the eye to keep it in place. It is a method of closing breaks and flattening the retina.Ī scleral buckle is a piece of silicone sponge, rubber, or semi-hard plastic that your eye doctor (ophthalmologist) places on the outside of the eye (the sclera, or the white of the eye). Scleral buckling surgery is a common way to treat retinal detachment. This is due to the fact that scleral buckling Surgery can create a more symmetrical appearance of your eyes.Health Library Skip Navigation Top of the page Scleral Buckling Surgery for Retinal Detachment Surgery Overview Scleral buckling surgery can help reduce your eye fatigue by providing relief from the glare that you experience.įinally, scleral buckling surgery can improve the overall appearance of your eyes.

Eye fatigue is a major problem for many people and can make it difficult to perform daily activities. In addition to improving your vision, scleral buckling surgery can also reduce your overall eye fatigue. Additionally, this surgery can improve your overall eye health by reducing the amount of glare that you experience. This surgery can reduce your dependence on eyeglasses or other corrective lenses, allowing you to see better without them. One of the main benefits of scleral buckling surgery is improved vision. In addition, this surgery can improve the overall appearance of your eyes. Among these are improved vision, reduced glare, and less eye fatigue. Scleral buckling surgery is a procedure that can provide many benefits.
