Type of Surgery
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Last updated: 02/17/2009
Retinal detachment occurs in 25,000 Americans each year. Patients suffering from retinal detachments are commonly nearsighted, have had eye surgery, experienced ocular trauma, or have a family history of retinal detachments. Retinal detachments also...
are common after cataract removal. White males are at a greater risk, as are people who are middle-aged or older. Patients who already have had a retinal detachment also have a greater chance for another detachment.
Some conditions, such as diabetes or Coats' disease in children, make people more susceptible to retinal detachments.
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A scleral buckle is one of several ophthalmologic procedures that can be used to repair a retinal detachment. Retinal detachments are usually caused by retinal tears, and a scleral buckle can be used to close the retinal break.
Scleral buckles come in many shapes and sizes. An encircling band is a thin silicone band sewn around the circumference of the sclera of the eye. Buckles are often placed under a band to create a dimple on the eye wall.
The scleral buckle is secured around the eyeball under the conjunctiva. This moves the wall of the eye closer to the detached retina. It also may move the retina closer to the vitreous. This alteration in the relationships of the tissues seems to allow the fluid which has formed under the retina to be pumped out, and the retina to re-attach. No-one really understands the physics or physiology of this process.
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Surgeons aim for results of 20/20 or better so that you can perform most daily activities without your glasses. However, there is a possibility that after surgery, you may need to wear reading glasses or corrective lenses for at least some activities.
-Eye Surgery Education Council
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