Remove or not to remove silicone oil after surgery

[mikedebbie]

I have had retinal surgery twice.  The second time they put the silicone oil in the eye.  It has been two years since that was done and i still have the oil in.  The surgeon who put it in said it does NOT have to come out necessarily.  My local retina surgeon whom did not do the surgery (he does monitoring care) has said repeatdly that the oil needs to come out otherwise it will cause corneal destruction (no lens in the eye).  Yet the oil never touches the cornea with the exception of 3 times, the oil has migrated to the front of the eye when i was sleeping.  All three times I fortunately have been sucessful to get it to go back towards the back of the eye behind the iris where it is suppose to be.  Other than that, no complications with the exception of minor irritation varying from day to day. My vision currently with the oil in is 20/100-200.  I can live with that.  What I can't live easily with, if the oil comes out and the retina redetaches again and have more surgeries or possible blindness.  He said there is about a 10% chance that the retina could redetach.  Should I be in any hurry to take the oil out if at all?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS]

When your physicians disagree you have two choices: believe one or the other and follow his/her advice or second get a third opinion.

JCH III MD

[mikedebbie]

what advice...don't you have an opinion of your own.  I could have got a better response probably from a 5th grader.

[John C Hagan]

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[John C Hagan]

TO: mikedebbie

If you post another derisive, snide comment as above you will be removed from postings on the two Eye Forums and we will ask the Webmaster to remove your from use of www.MedHelp.com


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[Keltie]

I had a situation like yours. I saw no reason to take the oil out, my vision was like yours, I had no pain, however, the retina specialist said it was time to remove the oil.  My retina immediately detached,  and 4 procedures later, I have no vision and my eye hurts all the time.  My experience says leave the oil in. Kel in TN

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS]

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