Must a buckle be permanent?

[buckleaway]

I had a detached retina repaired 7Feb14, and a scleral buckle was put in place (along with the gas bubble and laser treatment).  I've recovered well except for double vision and some distortion in that eye.  My regular eye doctor tells me that the double vision/distortion are due to the buckle hindering the eye muscles and changing the shape of the eyeball.  The surgeon tells me I will need to get prism eyeglasses to help correct the problems, but that the buckle must stay in place in case of further retinal detachment.  My question is:  Does the risk of further retinal detachment outweigh life-long need for corrective lenses when the removal of the buckle would alleviate most if not all of the current problems?

[buckleaway]

Could you expand a little on "mini tenotomy", please?

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

I had a similar problem.  The buckle should not be removed.

I used prisms in glasses for about one year then had a mini tenotomy (in office muscle procedure) and I no longer have prisms.

Dr. O.