Vitrectomy Surgery

Your ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.) may recommend vitrectomy surgery to treat the following eye problems:

• diabetic retinopathy, if bleeding and scar tissue is present;
• some retinal detachments;
• infection inside the eye;
• severe eye injury;
• macular pucker (wrinkling of the retina);
• macular hole (partial loss of vision for fine details);
• certain problems after cataract surgery.

Vitrectomy surgery often improves or stabilizes vision. The operation removes any blood or debris (from infection or inflammation) that may be blocking or blurring light as it focuses on the retina. 

Vitrectomy surgery removes scar tissue that can displace, wrinkle, or tear the retina. Vision is poor if the retina is not in its normal position. 

This surgery can also remove a foreign object stuck inside the eye as the result of an injury. Most foreign objects will damage vision if they are not removed.

What happens if you decide to have a vitrectomy surgery?

All types of surgery have certain risks, but the risks of vitrectomy are less than the expected benefits to your vision. Some of the risks of vitrectomy include: 

• infection;
• bleeding;
• retinal detachment;
• poor vision;
• high pressure in the eye.

A possible risk of vitrectomy surgery is accelerated cataract formation. Although cataract rarely develops soon after surgery, elderly patients often develop cataract over many months. How much will your vision improve? 

Your vision after surgery will depend on many variables, especially if your eye disease caused permanent damage to your retina before the vitrectomy. Your ophthalmologist will discuss your situation with you to explain how much improvement in your eyesight is possible.

All our patients undergo a full eye examination to determine the cause of the eye problem. Our compassionate and highly trained staff informs patients of the treatment progress and provides a complete report during and after the treatment program. Contact us to learn more about vitrectomy.

Some individuals may experience the presence of “floaters” in their visual field. This is more prevalent as we age. As you get older, it can get cloudy and move around, causing the feeling of seeing bugs or dirt in your vision due to shadows on the retina. You might notice these “floaters” more against a bright background like a blue sky or a white wall. It’s common to have occasional floaters, and once a doctor has checked to make sure there’s no issue with the retina, you can usually ignore them. Many people find that, over a few months, the floaters become less bothersome. However, some people have persistent floaters that don’t go away easily.

In instances where these drifting particles significantly disrupt vision during activities such as driving or reading, a potential treatment is vitrectomy, a surgical procedure involving the removal of the vitreous gel from the eye.

The length of the operation varies from one to several hours, depending on your condition. In certain situations, your ophthalmologist may do another surgical procedure at the same time, such as repairing a detached retina or removing a cataract. 

Your ophthalmologist performs the operation while looking into your eye with a microscope. Various miniature instruments are placed into the eye through tiny incisions in the sclera (white part of the eye). 

In order to get the best possible vision for you, your ophthalmologist will do one or more of the following:

• remove all cloudy vitreous;
• remove any scar tissue present, attemp to return the retina to its normal position;
• remove any foreign object that might be the eye;
• treat the eye with a laser to reduce future bleeding or to fix a tear in the retina;
• place an air or gas bubble in the eye to help the retina remain in its proper posiltion (the bubble will slowly disappear on its own);
• inject a special fluid.
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Your ophthalmologist will decide whether local or general anesthesia is best for you. You may have to stay overnight in the hospital. Before surgery you will need to have a physical examination to alert your ophthalmologist to any special medical risks. 

A painless ultrasound test may be performed before the surgery to view the inside of the eye. 

You can expect some discomfort after surgery. You will need to wear an eye patch for a short time. Your ophthalmologist will prescribe eyedrops for you and advise you when to resume normal activity. 

If your surgery requires a gas bubble to be placed in your eye, your ophthalmologist may recommend that you keep your head in special positions until the gas bubble is gone. 

DO NOT FLY IN AN AIRPLANE OR TRAVEL AT HIGH ALTITUDES UNTIL THE GAS BUBBLE IS GONE! A RAPID INCREASE IN ALTITUDE CAN CAUSE A DANGEROUS RISE IN EYE PRESSURE.