post-operative residual silicon oil bubble

Hi

I had retinal detachment surgery (vitrectomy) and silicon oil was used.  i had the oil taken out a month ago.  i am seeing post-operative residual silicon oil bubbles after few days of the surgery. I understand that it can be difficult to spot and remove all of these during vitrectomy.  will the bubble eventually get absorbed by the body or will i have these bubbles forever?

thanks in advance.

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

There have been several questions on both eye forums about SILICONE OIL. Because neither Dr. Kutryb no I are retinal surgeons I spoke with one of the retina surgeons in our group about recent questions.

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