ERM and surgery

[corks100]

I had PPV with gas bubble 3 months ago to repair a retinal detachment.  I am still waiting for some more healing time to happen to my eye.

When one has Epiretinal Membrane and gets surgery done to remove it,
1) Is Vitrectomy the only kind of surgery that can be done to remove it?
2) I read that saline solution is placed if Vitrectomy is done on the eye.  Will this shrink the eye or will this saline solution be replaced eventually by the eye's natural liquid?
3) I also read that the scars could lift and go away on its own, restoring vision back.  How likely is this to happen?  what are the percentage on this happening?
4) is scarring common after retinal detachment?
5) if ERM surgery is done, what are the chances (percentages) that a retinal detachment can occur?  I just had PPV with gas bubble done on my right eye 3 months ago and I am scared that the surgery will cause my retina to detach again.
6)  are there really no drops or injections, etc that can be done instead of surgery?
7) when is it too long to wait to get an ERM surgery?  I also read that one shouldnt wait too long to get it done, otherwise, the surgery might not work or the scar might harden too much for it to be removed?  Is this statement true as well.

Thanks sincerely for your answers in advance.  

[corks100]

Thanks Dr. O for your info.

I am not sure if I have ERM.  I see my doc in a few days.  I was inquiring just in case because i still have this light gray area blocking my vision.  When I try to read, half of what Im loooking at or the lower part of what I am looking at when i ftry to read- I cant see.  The light gray area also SEEMS to be getting smaller and the shape of it changed to a smaller size.  It used to be taller and wider...now it looks like a baseball ball whereas before it looked like the map of Texas.  The light gray area is also thinning on the sides and at the bottom (except for the top area which is the closest to the center when I try to read).  The light gray area also gets bigger when i try to look far and gets smaller when i look closer.

I just hope and pray it keeps getting smaller and eventually goes away.  I measure it everyday with the same distance and circumstances and it is getting smaller SLOWY.  BUt knowing me, I have to see a big change or difference before i can proclaim that it is getting smaller.  When I started seeing peripherally, it wasnt until I can see objects, trees, houses, color, etc did i declare that my vision is getting better.

1) Is saline solution also used when PPV is done to a patient?  I had PPV done to my eyes for RD surgery?

2) So what happens, the saline solution goes away (or re-absorbed?) and is replaced by our eye's natural liquid eventually?

3) I read that ERM can go away on its own.  Is this true?  how often does this happen or have you seen this happen?  How likely is this to happen (in the early or latter part aftger surgery?)

4) if ERM goes away, will vision get restored, esp if vision is good all around aother parts of the eye?

5) is ERM very common after Retinal detachment?  do most patients have scars after RD?

6) right now, i have lopsided (like an eye and a half vision), weird vision and a slight double vision happening.  Is this due to the light gray area still blocking my view and therefore my operated eye cant see properly?

7) How long until one has to wait until ERM stabilizes after you have had RD surgery....6 months, five months, four months, a year?

8) ERM recurrence...how often have you seen this happen to patients?  what causes recurrence and how is this prevented?

Thanks so much again Dr. O.  Hope to hear your answers soon.  Have a great weekend.



    

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

ERM can sometimes be treated with Avastin injection.  The chance of an RD after ERM surgery is small probably less than 1%.   A saline type solution is used as in all intraocular surgeries.  It will not shrink your eye.  You should wait until the ERM is stable before removal. It can recur.


Dr. O.