What is Vitrectomy?
A vitrectomy is a surgical procedure that’s done to remove the fluid, known as vitreous humor or just vitreous, inside your eyeball.
Vitreous may be removed for many reasons. It’s most commonly done so that your surgeon can access your retina, a layer of tissue at the back of your eye that’s connected to your optic nerve. The retina sends signals to your brain so that you can see.
About Iranian Surgery
Iranian surgery is an online medical tourism platform where you can find the best eye surgeons in Iran. The price of a Vitrectomy surgery in Iran can vary according to each individual’s case and will be determined based on an in-person assessment with the doctor. For more information about the cost of Vitrectomy surgery in Iran and to schedule an appointment in advance, you can contact Iranian Surgery consultants via WhatsApp number 0098 901 929 0946. This service is completely free.
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Before Vitrectomy Surgery
Why would you need a vitrectomy?
A vitrectomy may be done if your vitreous is infected, inflamed, or filled with blood or bits of tissue known as floaters. A vitrectomy can also help your doctor treat conditions that can affect your retina or the inside of your eyeball, such as:
. Bleeding inside your eye
. Eye infections (endophthalmitis)
. Cataracts
. Wrinkles, tears, or injury in the retina
. Detached retina, which happens when your retina separates from its usual place and floats around in your eye.
. Major trauma or injury to your eye
. Diabetic retinopathy, which happens when complications from diabetes damage your retina.
. Macular hole, which happens when the tissue in your retina that helps you see details is damaged.
The success rate for vitrectomy is around 90 percent, even if you’re over 60.
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Complications and risks
Vitrectomy is a simple, effective procedure with few risk and complications. Your risk for complications may be higher if the procedure was done to repair extensive damage to your eye or retina.
Possible risks and complications of a vitrectomy include:
. Inflammation or redness, swelling, and pain
. Bleeding inside the eye
. Infection
. Increased pressure (glaucoma) or reduced pressure in the eye
Cataract formation or progression of existing cataracts
. Surgical injury, such as a wrong cut or tear, resulting in the need for further corrective surgery.
. Swelling of the central part of the retina
. Change in vision, requiring the need for new eyeglasses
. Loss of night vision, blurriness, or depth perception
. Double vision
. Retinal detachment
. Dislocation or discoloration of the intraocular lens
. Macular pucker or a wrinkle in the retina
. Loss of vision
. Allergic reaction or over-reaction to anesthesia, which may risk stroke, heart attack, or pneumonia.
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How do I prepare for a vitrectomy?
Ask your eye doctor what you need to do to prepare for vitrectomy surgery. Ask whether you need to stop taking any medicines before the procedure. You will need to avoid eating anything after the midnight before your surgery.
Your eye doctor may want to use special instruments to shine a light in your eye and examine your retina. You may need to have your eyes dilated for your eye exam. You also might have an ultrasound of your eye, which helps your eye doctor view the retina.
During Vitrectomy Surgery
How is a vitrectomy done?
Before you go to a hospital or clinic to have this procedure done, make sure someone can take you home and that you can get a few days off work or other activities. Your doctor may ask you not to eat or drink anything eight hours before the surgery.
Once you’ve been admitted and prepped for surgery, you’ll be given mild anesthesia to numb your eye unless you prefer general anesthesia so that you can remain unconscious throughout the procedure. General anesthesia has more risks and side effects, so your doctor may not recommend using it unless you have anxiety about the surgery.
During Procedure
During the procedure, your surgeon:
- Makes sure that your eyelids are fully opened.
- Cuts into the first layer of your eye tissue.
- Cuts into the white tissue of your eye, known as the sclera.
- Inserts cutters, scissors, and forceps through one of the cuts.
- Inserts a fiber-optic light into one of the other cuts to see the inside of your eye.
- Removes vitreous and other necessary tissues through one of the cuts.
- Replaces the vitreous with another substance, such as gas, air, or a saline solution. This substance will eventually be replaced by a fluid that your eye naturally creates.
- Performs any other surgeries to repair your retina or remove damaged tissue from the eye, such as using a laser to fix any issues with your retina.
- Removes any tools and lights and stitches up the openings in your eye. In many cases, your doctor will not need to use stitches.
After Vitrectomy Surgery
Recovery
After your surgery, your doctor will monitor your condition and let you know when you’re able to leave the hospital. You should be able to go home the same day, but you may need to stay overnight if other procedures were done.
Make sure a friend or family member can drive you home. While you’re recovering:
. Take any eye drops your doctor prescribes to stop any eye infections.
. Don’t drive until your doctor says that your vision has returned to normal.
. Don’t fly or travel to high altitudes until your doctor says it’s okay to do so.
. Don’t lift anything over 10 pounds or do any strenuous physical activity.
. Lie face down or turn your head to one side for an extended period of time after your surgery according to your doctor’s instructions. If your eye was filled with gas or another substance, this helps maintain pressure in your eye.
Your doctor will suggest using pain medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (Advil), to help manage any pain or soreness in your eye. Your doctor might also ask you to wear an eye patch for a few days.
You should be able to return to your normal activities within a few days. You may need to wait a few weeks if your surgery was more extensive.
- How long does it take to clear vision after vitrectomy?
You might have some pain in your eye and your vision may be blurry for a few days after the surgery. You will need 2 to 4 weeks to recover before you can do your normal activities again. It may take longer for your vision to get back to normal
- What is vitrectomy surgery like?
Vitrectomy is a surgical procedure undertaken by a specialist where the vitreous humor gel that fills the eye cavity is removed to provide better access to the retina. This allows for a variety of repairs, including the removal of scar tissue, laser repair of retinal detachments and treatment of macular holes.
- How long does vitrectomy surgery take?
Some of the more common conditions that are treated include retinal detachments, diabetic retinopathy, macular hole, complications from cataract surgery and infections inside the eye. The length of the vitrectomy depends on the problem you have. Time for surgery can be from 30 minutes to over 3 hours.
- Is vitrectomy major surgery?
Vitrectomy surgeries involve the removal and replacement of some or all of the vitreous humor or fluid from the eye. The procedure is considered very successful and is often done as part of other eye surgeries.
- Can a vitrectomy be done twice?
A vitrectomy is a type of eye surgery to treat various problems with the retina and vitreous. During the surgery, your surgeon removes the vitreous and replaces it with another solution. … Scar tissue in your vitreous can also displace or tear your retina. All of this can impair vision.
- Are you awake during vitrectomy?
Vitrectomy is typically performed under local (injection) anesthesia, with sedation. In other words, the patient is awake during the procedure, but does not feel pain or see the procedure being performed.
- Does vitrectomy remove all floaters?
Outpatient surgery with local anesthesia can be utilized during vitrectomy to remove floaters and vitreous debris. During this procedure, nearly all the vitreous is removed, and with it, almost all of the vitreous opacities.
- When can I drive after vitrectomy?
We advise you not to drive for two weeks after the procedure. If gas has been injected in your eye to support the retina, you will not be able to drive for about six to eight weeks. This is because of the effects the gas may have on your eye during that time.
- Do floaters come back after vitrectomy?
However, most eye floaters don’t require treatment. Eye floaters can be frustrating, and adjusting to them can take time. Once you know the floaters will not cause any more problems, you may eventually be able to ignore them or notice them less often.
- Is epiretinal membrane serious?
An epiretinal membrane will not cause total blindness – it will typically only affect the central vision in the affected eye, while peripheral or ‘side’ vision remains unaffected. … In other cases, the epiretinal membrane may worsen over time, causing blurring and distortion to the central part of your vision.