vitrectomy surgery

[EDGAR620]

Doctor. Back in May./09 I had a small hole in the macula, which was repaired by my surgeon. After looking down at the ants and lizards for 14 days, the retina was about to detach and back to the ants and lizards for another 14 days. Gas was inserted both times-My vision is a little blury and there is on doubt in my mind, that the vision can be corrected with new lenses/contacts lenses. My question is simple. The percentage of having a cataract operation is very high. It seems that the victrectomy causes the problem , but I also understand that having a catarat operation may cause a retina detachment. it sounds like a tennis game. Retina detachment causes cataract----cararact causes retina detachment, is this true???? I'm expecting the rest of my natural life to go thru this ordeal??? I'm 62 years old, with no health issues at this time. What are your thoughts???

[AppleBr]

I will write you as soon as possible
Computer problems.
Good luck and take care..

Matt i will write to you either

[ace399]

It does seem like a roller coaster ride, once the 1st procedure is started.  What are the statistics/odds of having only one single procedure without complication?

[matt_ret_d_vitrectomy]

You had an excellent question about the statistics of cataracts/lens implants (IOL) procedues and retinal detachments and vitrectomy.  ( I had an RD repaired with vitrectomy and rapidly developed a cataract, which was removed and I recieved a monofocal IOL.  I'm very satisfied with the outcome.)  In the information that seems to be generally available to the public, there is not enough specific breakdown of whether the occurence of retinal detachment AFTER an IOL procedure is higher if there had been previous retinal detachment (or vitrectomy or other RD corrective procedure) to get very specific about the correlation.  As each eye's condition is unique, the relation of cause and effect from the summary statistics is not clear.

You shouldn't "expect" to have to go through that kind of back and forth ordeal, but as the statistics and some patients stories on this website relate, it is possible, and does occur in a very small number of patients.  So you do need to be informed of the possibilities.  However, as Dr. Oyakawa said, there few alternatives.  With an untreated Retinal Detachment, the likely outcome is clear, as is the expected outcome for an untreated Cataract.  Some of the frequent posters on this site have been through multiple repeated procedures in order to preserve their vision, and have reported the worthwhileness of those efforts.  Good luck and best wishes for your vision!

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

Yes.  However, you have little options. I have personally never had a retinal detachment from cataract surgery after a vitrectomy or previous RD.  However, there is increase in risk.  Have your retinal doctor exam you retinal before and after cataract surgery.

Dr. O.