Scleral buckling ever done prophylactically in high-risk patients?

I was talking with a co-worker who has had scleral buckling, vitrectomy and bubble for retinal detachment as well as cataract removal/IOL. The cataracts developed after the RD surgeries, as I understand this happens sometimes. I have ROP, -19D myopia and am monocular. I am scheduled for catract surgery with IOL on the 16th. My co-worker was wondering if in cases like mine scleral buckling is ever done as a preventative measure before catract surgery? It seems like the risks of that mught outweigh benefits since sometimes scleral buckling does not do the trick and is a major surgery. I am just curious if it is ever done on a high-risk but asympmtomatic(for RD) patient.  

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

I don't think its done very often if at all.  Its a big operation with significant risks.

JCH MD

[berrywoo]

When I was going through RDs and its reapirs for my left eye, I asked my retinal specialist if there was anything that could be done for my right eye as I knew it was high risk as I too have ROP. The right eye at the time was asymptomatic. The reply was that I could have a scleral buckle, but the risks to surgery at the time were greater than the odds of actually having a RD. So he nor any other reputable doctor would actually perform the surgery, even if I had wanted it, which at the time I did not.

[dukey]

Unfortunately, the scleral buckle surgery technique for myopia was abandoned in the US pretty much and is now only used as part of retina detachment treatment. It is a real shame in my opinion as it showed promise early on but the US surgeons were more cautious in their approach in terms of safety and therefore the results were not as convincing. It can still be done in Europe, but in my opinion, it is not safe enough, or effective enough to try, especially in an adult.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

The scleral buckle technique for RD is totally different than the scleral reinforcing procedure done for progressive myopia.

The RD scleral buckle elongates the eye and makes it more myopic.

The myopic scleral slinging runs behind the eye to try and prevent elongating of the eye.

JCH MD