oil removal

[kanan]

After a couple of  surgeries for retinal detachment I had a heavy oil put into my eye to help hold the retina in place.  so far this has been successful and I will soon be getting the oil removed.  I would like to hear from other indiviuals who have had the oil removed in their eye and what were the results?
thanks,
kanan

[Sandy Feldman, MD, MS]

Dear kanan,

I would recommend that you speak with your retinal specialist about the benefits and risks of oil removal in your particular situation.  You will want to know this to make an informed decision.  

Dr. Feldman

Sandy T. Feldman, M.D., M.S.
ClearView Eye and Laser Medical Center
San Diego, California

[paulm999]

The longer the oil is in, the better the chances you will need cataract surgery within a year, since the oil tends to screw up the lens. Most of the oil will be removed, but chances are that some will remain and be visible as a small bubble when you look down. This will never go away. It will not be a problem with normal vision, unless you play golf. Immediately after the silicone oil vitrectomy, you will notice a bunch of small bubbles (like fish eggs) but they will disappear over 4 weeks. Your vision in that eye will most likely be cloudy for a couple weeks after. You may also have a bunch of other floaters that will also disappear during the next couple months post surgery. This is debris that the silicone oil had been holding in place against the inside eyeball. The positive is that the silicone oil increases the success of keeping the retina in place.

[berrywoo]

Visual outcome totally depends on the extent of damage to your retina from the detachments and surgeries.
Paulm999 is correct, when he says that there will be some silicone oil remaining in the eye b/c it is impossible to remove all of it. It is only visible when you tilt your head to look down.
However, Paulm999 is incorrect to state that the longer the oil remains the better your chances for an attached retina after removal. Studies have shown that a three month period w/ silicone oil tamponade is no more statistically better than a longer period of time.
Most surgeons like to remove the oil as soon as the retina appears stable. Sometimes the retina will never be stable so the oil remains indefinetly. Other times the oil causes problems which necessitate an earlier removal than otherwise planned.
With all that said, the greatest period of redetachment of the retina after removal of oil occurs in the immediate days and several weeks post removal.
I wish I could offer you more of a personal slant to your question, but I am unable to b/c the eye that had silicone oil removed has lost most of its vision due to too much damage, and the other eye still retains silicone oil.
Good luck w/ the removal of the oil.