This patient support community is for discussions relating to eye care,
cataracts,
glaucoma,
retinal detachment, eye infections,
misaligned eyes, intra-ocular implants, refractive surgery (
LASIK and CK), glasses, contact lenses,
amblyopia, eye injuries,
dry eyes, ocular allergy,
eye pain and discomfort, pediatric eye disorders, eyelid and tearduct surgery, poor eyesight, and eye surgery.
1. Silicone oil can be left in the eye indefinitely although that isn't necessarily the recommended course. Typically most retinal specialists will try to remove oil after 4-6 months depending on how the retina looks. I have several patients that have a localized area of retinal that becomes detached under oil, for that reason I will elect to keep the oil in indifinitely due to the poor visual potential and the risk of redetachment if the oil is removed.
2. During removal it is always recommended to remove as much of the silicone oil as possible.
3. The biggest concerns with the silicone oil are corneal decompensation, migration into the anterior chamber, glaucoma and smulsification on the posterior surgace of a silicone intraocular implant (IOL).
Your symptoms should get better with time. Ask your surgeon this question.
JCH III MD