Tag Archives: scleral buckle

Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy (PVR)

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Eye
Vitreous is the gel that fills the eye (click on image to enlarge)

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What is PVR?

The retina is a “tissue-paper” thin layer of nerve tissue that lines the inside of the eye like the film in a camera. In the eye, light is focused onto the retina, which “takes the picture” and sends the image to the brain. Proliferative vitreoretinopathy is a condition in which sheets of scar tissue grow on the surface of the retina. It usually occurs after retinal detachment as a part of the healing process. Unfortunately, the PVR scar tissue pulls on the retinal and is the most common cause of failure of attempted repair of retinal detachment. There is evidence of PVR in about 10% of eyes that present with retinal detachment.

What is retinal detachment?

When the retina detaches, it is no longer in proper position inside the eye. Instead, it is like film that has unrolled inside a camera.  When this occurs, a camera cannot take a picture. Similarly, when the retina detaches the eye loses vision.

What causes PVR?

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy is caused by the excessive formation of scar tissue. Scar tissue is a common healing mechanism in the body. For example, if the skin is cut, scar tissue closes the laceration. In the eye scar tissue develops in response to retinal detachment and surgical repair. If it becomes excessive, the scar tissue causes the retina to detach again. The abnormal production of scar tissue in the eye is called PVR. Tobacco use may increase the risk of PVR.

How is PVR treated?

The treatment of PVR requires one or more surgeries. Your doctor is skilled in a number of techniques to prevent blindness. Which type of surgery is recommended depends on the precise findings on examination.

Scleral buckle surgery:  Some retinal detachments require the placement of a permanent plastic supporting belt around the eye to create a “ledge of support” for the retina. This belt is placed in the hospital operating room in a major surgery. The eye is often rendered more near sighted by this procedure. Rarely, side effects include double vision.

Vitrectomy surgery:  Performed in the hospital operating room as a major eye surgery, vitrectomy surgery involves making small incisions into the eye to remove floaters, dissect scar tissue, remove fluid from under the retina, apply laser, and place a gas bubble or silicone oil into the eye to hold the retina in place. Specific head positioning is sometimes needed.  Sometimes a cataract or lens implant must be removed to adequately repair the retina. After surgery, it may be necessary to lie in a specified position for several days for success. This surgery may be repeated if necessary to prevent blindness.

With one or more surgeries most retinal detachments with PVR can be repaired keeping useful vision. The vision usually does not return to normal. It is frequently blurred or distorted. There are always risks to surgery including hemorrhage, infection, scarring, glaucoma, cataract, and double vision. Sometimes despite all efforts with surgery, all vision may be lost. Surgery is recommended for retinal detachments with PVR because blindness usually results if treatment is withheld. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to ask your doctor.

By Scott E. Pautler, MD

For a telemedicine consultation with Dr Pautler, please send email request to spautler@rvaf.com. We accept Medicare and most insurances in Florida. Please include contact information (including phone number) in the email. We are unable to provide consultation for those living outside the state of Florida.

Copyright  © 2017-2023 Designs Unlimited of Florida.  All Rights Reserved.

Vitreous Hemorrhage

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Vitreous is the gel that fills the eye (click on image to enlarge)

What is vitreous hemorrhage?

Vitreous hemorrhage means blood has leaked into the vitreous gel of the eye. The vitreous is a clear gel that fills the center of the eye and helps to hold the retina in place against the eye-wall like wallpaper in a room. The retina is a thin layer of delicate nerve tissue, which acts like film in a camera. In the eye, light is focused onto the retina, which “takes the picture” and sends the image to the brain. The retina has many fine blood vessels, which sometimes leak blood into the vitreous and cause a loss of vision.

What symptoms does vitreous hemorrhage cause?

Vitreous hemorrhage usually causes many new floaters in the vision. Floaters may appear as round specks, hair-like or bug-like debris, or clouds moving in your vision as though they were in front of your eye. They are more noticeable when looking at a blank surface and may interfere with the good vision in the fellow eye.

Flashes are brief streaks of light that are usually seen off to the side, especially at night when you turn your head or eyes. Flashes are caused by vitreous gel pulling on the retina with eye movement.

Although many people have occasional floaters or flashes of light, the sudden onset of many new floaters with or without flashes is an important sign of abnormal pulling on the retina by the vitreous. In some people with these symptoms, the retina may tear and detach resulting in loss of vision.

What causes vitreous hemorrhage?

There are many causes of vitreous hemorrhage. Diabetes can cause vitreous hemorrhage by weakening the blood vessels in the retina and by causing the vitreous gel to shrink and pull on the retinal vessels. Hardening of the arteries in the eye can cause vitreous hemorrhage by blocking a retinal vein where the arteries cross over the veins in the retina. Ageing changes of the vitreous gel can cause it to pull on the retina and tear it. The tearing of the retina may result in bleeding into the vitreous. Less common causes of vitreous hemorrhage include birthmarks inside the eye, inflammation, trauma, tumor, surgery, blood disorders, and macular degeneration.

How is vitreous hemorrhage treated?

The most important step is to have a thorough eye examination with ultrasonography. The ultrasound machine uses sound waves to safely and effectively “look through” the blood in the vitreous to see if the retina is attached. If a retinal detachment is found, surgery (scleral buckle, pneumatic retinopexy, and/or vitrectomy) is required in an attempt to repair it. If no retinal detachment is found on ultrasound exam, your doctor may allow the vitreous hemorrhage to clear on its own with time. The ultrasound exam may be repeated periodically to assure the retina remains attached. In many cases the cause of the vitreous hemorrhage cannot be determined until the hemorrhage has cleared. If the hemorrhage does not clear on its own, vitrectomy surgery as a one-day surgery in the hospital operating room may be considered. The amount of visual return depends on several factors including the health of the underlying retina.

What should I be on the lookout for?

After examination or treatment for a vitreous hemorrhage, you should notify your doctor if you have a burst of new floaters, a loss of side vision, or pain. Sometimes, retinal tears or a retinal detachment occur at a later date after the examination.

By Scott E. Pautler, MD

For a telemedicine consultation with Dr Pautler, please send email request to spautler@rvaf.com. We accept Medicare and most insurances in Florida. Please include contact information (including phone number) in the email. We are unable to provide consultation for those living outside the state of Florida.

Copyright 2016-2022 Designs Unlimited of Florida. All Rights Reserved.

Preparing for Retinal Surgery

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How can I prepare for surgery?

One week prior to surgery: Unless your internist feels that stopping blood thinners unacceptably increases the risk of blood clots (stroke/heart attack), do not take aspirin-containing products, Effient, or Brilinta for one week prior to surgery. Coumadin may be stopped four days prior to surgery. Pradaxa, Xarelto, and Eliquis may be stopped two days prior to surgery. Your EyeMD will schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor if evaluation is needed prior to surgery. Please inform your doctor of any chest pain/pressure, fever, productive cough, shortness of breath, or bleeding tendencies.

The morning of surgery: Take no medications for diabetes unless instructed differently by your doctor. Please do take all of your other medications with a sip of water and you may use any prescribed eye drops as usual. Otherwise, do not eat or drink anything on the morning of the scheduled surgery. Report promptly to the hospital as scheduled, but expect to wait while the nurses prepare you for the operating room. Bring a complete list of your medicines with dosages. Do not wear make-up. Arrange for someone to drive you to and from the hospital.

What type of anesthesia is available?

With local anesthesia the patient is sedated with IV medication so there is no memory of the anesthetic injection around the eye. Surgical drapes are placed over the face leaving plenty of breathing room. During surgery the patient is awake, but there is usually no pain. It is important to lie still on the operating room table so that there is no movement of the head during surgery. The main advantage of local anesthesia is that the patient can leave the hospital more quickly than after general anesthesia.

With general anesthesia the patient is asleep throughout the surgery and remembers nothing of the surgery. The anesthesiologist places a tube down the throat into the trachea to breathe for the patient. After surgery the throat may be sore. Which type of anesthesia is best for a patient may be determined by the health of the patient. Otherwise, if a person cannot lie still for the surgery or if claustrophobia is a problem, general anesthesia is preferred.

What are the risks of surgery?

Although uncommon, problems such as bleeding and infection may arise from any surgery. Retinal detachment or abnormal scar tissue formation may require additional surgery. Rarely, there may be loss of vision, double vision, glaucoma, or loss of the eye. The most common problem following vitrectomy surgery is progression of cataract requiring cataract surgery at a later date.

Although serious problems are not encountered often, the risks and benefits must be weighed for each individual to arrive at a decision for surgery. For many eye problems, surgery is the only hope for improvement in vision or prevention of blindness.

What can I expect after surgery?

A soft eye patch and a hard eye shield are placed on the eye at the end of surgery. Leave these in place until your exam on the day after surgery. Tylenol (no more than 4,000 mg per day; caution with liver disease) or Ibuprofen (no more than 2,400 mg per day; caution with kidney disease) may be used if there is pain. Call the doctor for a prescription if your pain is not relieved. It is not common to have severe pain after vitrectomy surgery. A scratchy feeling is due to sutures on the white of the eye. These sutures dissolve in about three weeks and you may use a lubricating ointment (Lacrilube is available without a prescription from the drugstore) as needed for comfort. At your exam after surgery, you will be given eye drops and/or an ointment to keep the eye comfortable, to prevent infection, and to promote healing. Wearing the eye patch is optional after you are seen in the office, but wear the hard protective shield at night for at least two weeks.

The vision usually returns slowly over days to weeks after surgery, but may take many months for final recovery. Use caution while walking as your depth perception may be altered until your vision returns after surgery. You may experience light flashes, floaters, and temporary double vision for days to weeks after the surgery. Do not be alarmed, but feel free to notify the doctor of any concerns that you may have. The swelling and redness slowly disappear over two or three months. There are no restrictions to using the eyes to read, watch TV, or bathe. Ask the doctor when you may resume driving. You may shower after the patch has been removed in the office. Avoid heavy lifting and straining for one week after surgery. You may resume taking all your medications after the surgery; however, blood thinners should be withheld until after the first visit in the office one day after the surgery.

Depending upon the reason for your surgery, it may be very important to lie face down or on either side after your surgery. Be sure you understand any positioning requirements given by your surgeon. Additionally, if a gas bubble is placed in your eye at the time of surgery, you may not fly on a plane until it has dissolved or you could risk severe pain and blindness. Similarly, nitrous oxide should not be used if any other surgery is required while you are healing from your eye surgery. Be sure to wear a wristband for six weeks after eye surgery to notify health care providers that you have a gas bubble in the eye. Remove the wristband only when your doctor has notified you that the gas bubble is gone.

By Scott E. Pautler, MD

For a telemedicine consultation with Dr Pautler, please send email request to spautler@rvaf.com. We accept Medicare and most insurances in Florida. Please include contact information (including phone number) in the email. We are unable to provide consultation for those living outside the state of Florida.

Copyright © 2016-2022 Designs Unlimited of Florida. All Rights Reserved.

How do I use my eye drops?

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How do eye drops work?

You ask, “how do I use my eye drops?” but first let’s talk about the drops. Prescription eye drops contain a calculated amount of carefully tested medication.  The medication in the eye drops is rapidly absorbed into the tissues of the eye over a period of seconds to minutes after they are placed in the eye.  For this reason it is important to administer the correct amount of drops and to prevent the drops from spilling out of the eye or passing down the back of your throat through your tear duct.

What side-effects might be encountered?

In some patients eye drops can cause stinging, redness, or irritation.  These are not allergic reactions, but should be reported to the doctor if they become bothersome.  A significant amount of itching might be due to an allergic reaction to the drops. Only rarely do severe reactions occur.  Be sure to report wheezing or shortness of breath to the emergency department.

How do I properly use this medicine?

Be sure your hands are clean.  While looking up with head tilted back, pull the lower eyelid away from the eye with one finger and place one-drop of medicine inside the lower lid onto the eye.  Continue to hold the eyelid away from the eye for about 15 seconds. Then, gently close the eye without blinking.  Keep the eye closed for a minute or two while pressing with your index finger against the side of your nose where the upper and lower eyelids come together.  Finally, dry the remainder of the medicine from your eyes with a tissue paper.  This allows the medicine to be absorbed into the eye and keeps the medicine from going down your throat minimizing side effects.  Using this routine, the next eye drop may be instilled without the need to wait. Use any ointments only after all the recommended drops have been placed in the eye.  Try to use your medication on schedule as missing an eye drop may result in damage to your eye.

By Scott E. Pautler, MD

For a telemedicine consultation with Dr Pautler, please send email request to spautler@rvaf.com. We accept Medicare and most insurances in Florida. Please include contact information (including phone number) in the email. We are unable to provide consultation for those living outside the state of Florida.

Copyright  © 2001-2023 Designs Unlimited of Florida.  All Rights Reserved.