Post Scleral Buckle Surgery Condition

[blue0bear]

I just had a scleral buckle surgery for my right eye (with a retinal hole and detachment) about 2~3 weeks ago.  The only concern I have post surgery is that I can see part of my sclera(whites of my eye) is very swollen (near my tear duct/nose area) and is giving me on-and-off pain.  I also feel the pain in the swollen area when I use the antibiotic eye drop.  I just want to know if this is normal for the eye after surgery, how long does it usually lasts, and at which point should I be concern about this condition.  

I want to say thank you in advance for who ever answer my question.  I find this form very useful expecially when right now I'm traveling outside of US and needs to deal with time difference when calling my doctor.

[David F]

I had a retinal detachment and my eye surgery July 29 included a Scleral Buckle and gas bubble. I has been 8 weeks now and the pain does subside or at least mine did between 4 to 6 weeks. The pain I have now in if i use the eye (new glasses also) too much or bend over I get stabbing pains. These are apparently from the buckle and will diminish over the next 6 months to a year. How is your vision? You can see my original comments under "4 weeks and still in pain".

[Themomma]

It has been one week since the scleral buckle surgery.  No one (doctors) mentioned the double vision!!  What a headache!! Just wondering if anyone else is seeing double and if so, how long since your surgery?  Not in a lot of pain but I have cornered the market on tylenol extra strength tablets.  Also, the eye itches to the point of madness .  You can't scratch it but oh do I want to.  Don't know anyone else that has had this surgery so no one to talk to.  Soooo if your out there let me hear from you.
Thanks

[vca admin]

I had a sclera buckle on my left eye on Sept 29th at the Kresge Eye Institute in Detroit after a retinal detachment and tear on Sept 23rd.  My doc said there was a possibility of double vision, however that did not happen to me. The nitrus bubble is at 30% which inhibits my vision and what I can see is very blurry.  I had radial keratotomy 17 years ago to correct my vision from 20/2000 to 20/20.  I will no longer have 20/20 in the left eye.  The recovery is very slow.  I am very dissapointed that my opthamologist never told me I would be prone to retinal detachments and tears.  I've gone to him since 1967.  My case is text book for what happened and I never knew.

[wendy00]

Hi there-
I had a scleral buckle on 10/6/05.  Although my vision isn't close to what it once was, the pain is not that bad.  However I do get some screaming headaches if I'm on the computer too long--or around too much light.  No double vision since they took the patch off on day 2.  

Does anyone know if people with a scleral buckle are able to get Lasik?  I never wanted it before, but now that my vision is so impaired in my eye, I want to do everything I can to make it as good as possible.

[Themomma]

18 days since buckle surgery.  Now--the eye is filling with fluid and am slowly losing vision.  More surgey scheduled for day 23 to remove fluid.  However, the double vision did clear up till this fluid thing.  I'm told it's another one of those **things happen** Well, how many out there have had this just **happen**???  Anyone??

[vca admin]

Wow "themomma"!  I was never warned about the eye filling with fluid. Sorry you are going through that.  My son asked me about lazer correction.  I'll ask my surgeon when I go back if that is an option.  I'm not looking forward to wearing glasses for one eye or EVER going back to wearing contact lenses.  I'm still having to keep the eye dialated, use steroid drops, and an antibiotic ointment.  The warning label on both the steroid and dialating drop say not to drive.  The nitrus bubble is now below the center of my vision if I look straight ahead so I can see over the bubble but it is very blurry.  I see a bit of improvement each day both in how the eye looks from the exterior and how I see.

[Themomma]

I would say I'm sorry for spouting off but Iam too busy being angry, frustrated and scared!!  Dr. tells me this fluid is coming from the two detachments he repaired Oct 10th and it just sometimes *happens*  Well, I don't know if I truly believe that or not.  BUT  whatcha gonna do at this point?  This is where that faith thing comes in to play.  If this ever happens to you or yours, DO NOT research it on the net.  Too much info will frighten you.  Will check back in after Nov 2nd  Thanks for letting me vent.

[vca admin]

TheMomma - no need for apology.  Venting our frustrations is a good thing. :)  The nitrus bubble in my eye is beginning to separate into tiny bubbles.  What a hoot to see a bunch of tiny bubbles floating around every time I move my eye.  I agree about knowing too much about what we went through being frightening.  I began to investigate this procedure (can't help it I'm an educator) and decided it was better NOT to know all the details. :)  Lattice degeneration caused my retina to detach and tear.  I still can't believe I never knew I had this.  Faith is the ONLY thing that has gotten me through this ordeal.

[Themomma]

Another detachment was the culprit this time. I personally think that there was a weak spot and when the Dr did the buckle the pressure broke the spot.   Dr. did a Vitrectomy.  He said I could have a twilight sleep!! Hah!!  Told him that was not going to happen. I get no gold stars or points for being half awake when someone is cutting on my eye!!He is 34, brilliant and not an ounce of empathy in him. Wish that he could take my place or yours for just the post-op day and see what it feels like.  In any case, the surgery went well.  Once again I have a throbbing headache BUT no actual pain in the eye itself.  I too have the bubble and of course can see nothing and won't for the next several weeks.  If this doesn't take care of the problem I'm afraid to think about what would come next.  Sooo---not gonna borrow trouble or think about that right now. Your understanding does bring some comfort to me.
TheMomma

[vca admin]

Themomma- Glad the vitrectomy went well.  I was praying that the dr would NOT have to go inside my eye.  I certainly hope this has cured all of your problems.  I'm thankful my dr has a good bedside manner.  Tuesday the bubble began to separate into tiny bubbles.  It freaked me out so I called the dr.  His assistnat said it is normal.  Now I have several smaller bubbles floating around all the time.  It is soooo annoying. :) I go back to the dr on the 15th.  I'm hoping to be able to drive and go back to work.  I should be able to be fitted for a corrective lense at the end of the month. Keep in touch!

[Themomma]

To VCA ADMIN:  Hope this finds you well.  You mentioned 30% of a bubble.  Was that what your doctor inserted or what is left? It's been since Nov 2 and I still cannot see anything but white in the left eye.  My Dr. said it would be at least 8 weeks till the bubble would be absorbed.  Of course I want immediate results!! Have you been bothered with sinus headaches?  We had a storm for three days and Sudafed became my best friend.(one of the trials of living in NW Indiana)  The eye itself kind of aches, not a lot of sharp pain, just a constant headache. Just wondering if it was me or is this *normal*for this kind of surgery. I go for another check-up the 21st. Then Thanksgiving and on to Christmas.  Keep in touch.  
TheMomma

[Tavarish]

I had Laser (thermal), freezing (cryopexy) and Pneumatic retinopexy on my right eye on 10/30/05. Two days later at a follow up visit I was informed that excessive fluid had devloped and that a Scleral Buckle was necessary. I was under local anthesia during the proceedure and could hear everything happening. It also hurt like HELL! Since then I was diagnoise d with retina tears in my left eye and have gone through 2 laser treatments on it since 11/05/05. Needless to say, I think I am going blind! The bubble in my right eye is at about 50%. I see a line across the middle of my eye. Above the line vision is pretty clear. Below it everything is a blurr and I am unable to recogonize a thing. My left eye continues to show dot floaters, little whispy floaters and bright flashes. I am afraid that I may be experiencing retinal detachment in it as well.

I have 24hr headaches above my right eye and am staying doped up on Tylenol 3 w/codine. I also have sharp stabbing pains in my right eye.

I sure hope everything goes as the Drs. say and I will regain my vision. I am a Computer Technician and the loss of my sight will force me into early retirement.

[badeye]

I had retinal detach surgery on my left eye about 2 months ago. I also got big
headache after the surgery. In my case it was due to the high
eye pressure. My doctor gave me some eyedrops and medication
to keep the eye pressure under normal (less than 20). Check
w/ your doctors...

HTH.

[Racen 3]

11-21-05-I had 3 tears in my left retina, they did emergency surgery on Oct 11.  I had been seeing floaters for about a week and then my left eye became "cloudy", thats when I headed to the eye doc.  To my suprise, it was a very ruff recovery, could it be my age, 42?!  I had the bubble and the buckle.  It's been over a month and I am still having these rocking headaches, DAILY headaches, they will sometimes last for days.  They say my vision will keep chaning over the next  6 to 8 months.  I have had my left lens changed once since the surgery and I'm sure I will have it changed again and again.  I just want the day to come to where I can wear my contacts.  I've been told it could also be 6 to 8 months before I can wear my contact.  My eye doctor and the doc who did the surgery, both tell me if I am still having headaches after 6 months or so, they could go back in and "release" some of the pressure off the eye that the buckle is causing. My thinking is, how can you live for 6, 7 or 8 months with headaches.  It's not very happy around my home!  Needless to say, the husband hates it!  
All I can say is, I am lucky to have my eye sight in my eyes.
The doc said I was VERY close to loosing sight in that eye.

[vca admin]

themomma... 30% is what was left.  Last Tuesday I got the all clear to go back to work and drive.  I worked for 3 days and yesterday had a setback.  I was at work and saw a dark shadow at the bottom of my vision in the left eye.  I called the surgeon he said to come in immeidately.  The vitreous fluid had completely separated causing a new tear.  The vitreous was filling with blood (that is the shadow I was seeing).  he immeidately did laser surgery.  118 zaps with the laser.  I'm off on medical again until Monday.  UGHHHHHH so frustrating.  The gas bubble is black when it was impeding my vision, not white.  My vision is slowly returning but after yesterday's incident my vision is blockied by the dark shadow of blood.  The gas bubble is tiny and bounces around like "follow the bouncing ball" in a sing along video.  so annoying...... If God is teaching me patience, it's not working very well!  Have a blessed day.

[vca admin]

themomma... 30% is what was left.  Last Tuesday I got the all clear to go back to work and drive.  I worked for 3 days and yesterday had a setback.  I was at work and saw a dark shadow at the bottom of my vision in the left eye.  I called the surgeon he said to come in immeidately.  The vitreous fluid had completely separated causing a new tear.  The vitreous was filling with blood (that is the shadow I was seeing).  he immeidately did laser surgery.  118 zaps with the laser.  I'm off on medical again until Monday.  UGHHHHHH so frustrating.  The gas bubble is black when it was impeding my vision, not white.  My vision is slowly returning but after yesterday's incident my vision is blockied by the dark shadow of blood.  The gas bubble is tiny and bounces around like "follow the bouncing ball" in a sing along video.  so annoying...... If God is teaching me patience, it's not working very well!  Have a blessed day.

[vca admin]

I feel blessed that headaches have not been an issue for me.  The vision in my right eye (non-surgical eye) is 20/20 and is compensating for the blurred vision in the left eye.  I was told from the beginning that 20/20 vision could not be restored in the left eye post surgery.  The buckle causes a negative diopter (nearsightedness). I've been taking motrin for the swelling (drs orders) after the laser surgery yesterday.  The pain is not constant and is more of a dull annoyance than pain.  I'm 44.  If you research retinal detachments I am the perfect age for this problem.  I have lattice degeneration from being severely nearsighted my entire life.  My vision was 20/2000 (20/2400 is legally blind) before having RK 17 years ago.  Since then I've had 20/20 in both eyes.  I go to the dr 12-13 to see if a contact or glasses will correct the vision in the left eye to 20/20.  I pray that everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving tomorrow surrounded by family and friends.  It is the incredible support of loved ones that has gotten me through this nightmare!

[Tavarish]

I still continue to have headaches on the right side ( where the buckle was done). Its been 3 weeks now and these daily headaches are a real annoyance. I had to buy the X-Large bottle of tylenol. LOL. I have had a third laser treatment on my left eye. Doc says that the fluid is completely seperated now and this should prevent further tears. I hope so. I feel like a prisoner being interregated at Gitmo. Still see floaters in left eye and right eye is useless. Doc says I should be able to return to work 12/15 but unless things get a whole lot better real fast I dont know how I can. I have lost my independence and have to rely on others for simple things like driving to the Carry-out for my smokes, AAAAGGGGHHHHHH! I am 48 years old anad feel like a dependent little baby! I like this board because everyone here gives me hope that things will return to normal. Please let it be so! Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

[reynaldotorres]

A related discussion, scleral buckle was started.

[Bec_89]

A related discussion, Bubbles and No Vision was started.