Vitrectomy is a surgical process done to remove a jelly-like transparent tissue from the middle of the eye. This transparent jelly-like tissue is called vitreous humour and it may be infused with bloo.....
Vitrectomy is a surgical process done to remove a jelly-like transparent tissue from the middle of the eye. This transparent jelly-like tissue is called vitreous humour and it may be infused with blood. The main purpose of the surgery is to remove blood from the vitreous gel if the blood does not clear out on its own. This condition is called vitreous haemorrhage.
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Steps to take before the procedure
After the consultation, the doctor will have a brief discussion with the patient about the procedure, post-surgery care, and the complications involved. The surgery is generally done on an outpatient basis, but in some cases, a hospital stay of one day is required.
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What happens during the procedure?
The surgery is performed under anaesthesia. The surgeon uses small tools and instruments to make very thin, almost needle-like incisions in the eye walls. The surgeon then removes the vitreous gel through the incisions. To see inside the eyes, fiber-optic lights are used. At last, after treating the problematic part of the eye, the surgeon may inject a fluid or an oil bubble into the eye. These bubbles press the retina so that it stays flat against the wall of the eye. If the oil bubble is inserted into the eye, it has to be removed when the eye heals.
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After the procedure
The patient may have to visit the hospital 4-5 times after the surgery to follow up on the treatment. The patient is also given eye drops to be used for a month or more, depending upon the gravity of the surgery. The patients are also advised to lie in the position as prescribed by the doctor, as the injected eye bubble may shift due to change in positions.
The surgery has revolutionised the world of medical procedures, but it is very sensitive and difficult, and includes a few risks.
The advantages of vitrectomy treatment are:
Vitrectomy clears out the blood from vitreous humour that cannot be cleared out by the eye itself. The surgery prevents traction retinal detachment and helps in avoiding further or subsequent detachment. It also restores vision loss caused by the bleeding of the vitreous humour. It treats and repairs gigantic tears in the retina and stops scar tissues to form new blood vessels leading to the retina
The risks associated with Vitrectomy treatment are:
As any complex surgical process, vitrectomy too has some risks. The possible risks include bleeding into the vitreous gel, infection in the eye, high intraocular pressure (high pressure inside the eyes), retinal detachments, etc. Cataract is also a common risk of this surgery.
Patients may develop cataract and other eye diseases after a few years of the surgery.
