Scleral Buckling Procedure Restores Vision After a Detached Retina
Submitted by Elman Retina Group on February 14, 2023
The retina is located at the back of the eye. It is made up of light-sensitive tissue that sends visual information to the brain. A detached retina occurs when the retina is no longer attached to the surrounding tissue. A detached retina is a serious condition that must be repaired to avoid vision loss.
Elman Retina Group’s Dr. Michael Elman and Dr. Sidney “Sid” Schechet are retinal specialists. Below our doctors discuss retinal detachment symptoms and describe how the scleral buckling procedure restores vision after a detached retina.
What Are Retinal Detachment Symptoms?
As mentioned above, retinal detachment is a serious condition that should be repaired immediately to prevent blindness. While retinal detachment is painless, it usually has a number of warning symptoms. If you are experiencing any of the below retinal detachment symptoms, you should contact a retinal specialist immediately:
- A sudden increase in eye floaters
- Larger, more noticeable eye floaters
- Flashes of light
- A shadow or dark curtain in the field of vision
- Blurry vision
- Loss of peripheral vision (side vision)
What Is the Scleral Buckling Procedure?
If you are experiencing retinal detachment, your retinal specialist should explain your treatment options. One of those treatment options is the scleral buckling procedure.
Scleral buckling is a type of eye surgery to correct retinal detachment and restore vision. It is usually performed with local anesthesia while you are awake. However, it can be performed with general anesthesia if approved by your doctor.
The sclera is the white layer of the eye. It covers most of the eyeball. A scleral buckle is a piece of silicone or sponge material that the surgeon attaches to the outside of the eyeball. It is attached to the white of the eye at the location of the retinal tear. This buckle pushes the sclera toward the damaged part of the retina to facilitate reattachment.
Scleral Buckling Recovery
After scleral buckling surgery, the eye surgeon will provide instructions regarding recovery. The best thing a patient can do to facilitate their recovery is to follow their surgeon’s instructions.
Patients can go home the same day as their procedure. They may experience some pain but that should subside. Recovery from scleral buckling can take several weeks. Patients will have scheduled eye exams to monitor their recovery and vision. Vision should improve over time.
Schedule Your Eye Exam Today
Do not wait to seek help for your retinal detachment. If you are experiencing any of the above retinal detachment symptoms, contact the experts at Elman Retina Group immediately. Please call or email us today to schedule your eye exam.
