Do you have eye problems due to diabetes? Introduce yourself!

Vitrectomy is the surgical removal of the vitreous gel from the middle of the eye camera. It may be done when there is a retinal detachment, because removing the vitreous gel gives your eye doctor (ophthalmologist) better access to the back of the eye. The vitreous gel may also be removed if blood in the vitreous gel (vitreous hemorrhage) does not clear on its own.

During a vitrectomy, the surgeon inserts small instruments into the eye, cuts the vitreous gel, and suctions it out. After removing the vitreous gel, the surgeon may treat the retina with a laser (photocoagulation), cut or remove fibrous or scar tissue from the retina, flatten areas where the retina has become detached, or repair tears or holes in the retina or macula.
Recommended Related to Eye Health

Premature Babies and Eye Problems

Caring for a premature baby can be an exhilarating and frightening time for parents. Your newborn has survived despite being born before her time -- a huge relief. Yet you know that, because of her early birth, she has some challenges ahead. The number of preterm births in the U.S. rose by more than one-third from the 1980s to 2006. While recent rates have declined, this overall increase has health experts concerned. Premature babies have a higher risk for health problems, including certain eye...

Read the Premature Babies and Eye Problems article > >

At the end of the surgery, silicone oil or a gas is injected into the eye to replace the vitreous gel and restore normal pressure in the eye.

Vitrectomy is always done by an eye doctor who has special training in treating problems of the retina.
What To Expect After Surgery

Vitrectomy may require an overnight hospital stay. But it may sometimes be done as outpatient surgery. The surgery lasts 2 to 3 hours. Your eye doctor will determine if the surgery can be done with local or general anesthesia.

You may need to position yourself in a certain way at home for a while. Your doctor will tell you what position to lie in so that the gas or oil can push against the detachment.

Please join us tomorrow for a live interview with Dr. Sunil Patil, details here

http://www.tudiabetes.org/events/live-interview-diabetic-eye-disease-with-dr-patel

This past month I had laser surgery on one of my eyes died to a tear retina. Should I do anything with my diabetes to help or control it? Or it doesn't affect diabetes?

Jane,

I'm a little confused. Did you mean to say you had laser surgery due to a tear in your retina? Tears in the retina are usually unassociated with diabetes. In severe cases of diabetic retinopathy, where a retinal detachment has occurred, a tear could happen. Most often, however, there is no association.

Hope this helped.

Randy

Thank you

I go in for a third surgery on my right eye on June 3rd. This is going to be to remove silicon oil and replace it with a gas bubble, do some "clean up", and put on a scleral band to keep my stubborn retina (it keeps rippling) permanently in place. I am told this surgery will be more invasive and painful than the other two I've had. The other two were for retinal detachment, clean-up scaring from retinopathy, vitrectomy, and to stop some hemorrhaging. Has anyone had the band surgery? How was the recovery?

Tiki, so sorry you're are having so much trouble. Sounds scary. I hope the surgery is effective, and your healing swift. I haven't had this surgery so I can't share personal experience. I have heard from others that the bubble has a longer recuperation time with more restrictions (no flying?). Maybe Dr. Wong can give an experienced perspective from the doctor's POV. Good luck and please let us know how it goes.

I am so frustrated tonight. Still dealing with on-going eye bleeds in my right eye, even after having a vitrectomy and lasering back in November. The doctor says I need even more lasering. I will not have ANY peripheral vision left in either eye after this. I know that the peripheral vision has to be sacrificed in order to save the central vision but Iā€™m still worried about it. My eyes are like Swiss cheese on the inside-- lots of black holes around the edges with clear sections in the middle. Iā€™ve had Avastin shots up the wazoo, but they have been only a temporary fix. Feeling very alone in my frustration tonight and wishing there was another way to deal with PDR besides lasering your retinas away.

Hi Cinderfella, jus wanted to say sorry to hear youā€™re still having bleeds & need yet more laser. It sucks. Hate this disease and its complications. Really sorry and so so so so hope it stabilises for you real soon. xxx

Hi I had a vitrectomy done yestereday. Surgery went well The pain is mild. I had the blood cleared out of the eye. Laser for ME and a shot of lucentis. Only one problem. I have double vision in my distance vision. The Dr. Said my eye is still very dilated even after 24hrs. Has any one had this experience with double vision after vitrectomy? If so how long did it last?
Thank u Vikki

how can you see to write e mails? Are you better today?sending you patience for healing.

I have had double vision before, especially after having blood in my eye. If you weren't able to see well out of your clouded eye, then you might be experiencing double vision because your eye becomes lazy while it was not able to see. Your brain has forgotten to tell your eye where to look so your eye doesn't quite move in sync with the other one. It may take a few days for that ability to come back but it definitely will. I have had my eye (one or the other) clouded for months at a time only to have double vision when it was finally fixed. It always comes back. No worries. And, yes, your eye can stay dilated for a coupe of days after vitrectomy. I just had more lasering done this week to, hopefully, get my right eye to settle down once and for all. It would be nice to be able to relax a little bit and have respite from on-going vision problems. Yes, it would be really nice.

thank y u againou. so mu.ch am gratefulfor your reply cinderfella. I was beginning to worryā€¦ Patience is not one of my virtues. But everything is in Godā€™s time.I am feeling very good hAve little to no pain. I use my speak and text app.but canā€™t stay on too long. Thank u Again. I am grateful for the support. Vikki

Vikki, Best of luck! I haven't had that experience, but I do have eye problems, so I know how frightening the thought of diabetic blindness can be.

Lisa thank u for the gift of patience. I see to write emails because I have 20/20 in my left eye. I had a massive bleed in my right eye. Thatā€™s the one I had the surgery on. My vision is 20/30 after the surgery. Double vision only with distance. Reading is fine. I could not see the first line on the chart. But the blood cleared way before the surgery. But still had much more to get out.Thanks again
Vikki

Thank u Amanda. So far so good. One day at a time.
Vikki

More eye bleeds tonight. I am so sick of this. I have had vitrectomies in both eyes, multiple rounds of lasering, dozens of eye injections. Still the bleeds keep coming. I feel like Iā€™m the only person that this is happening to at such an out of control rate. Can anyone offer me encouragement? Comforting words? A grain of hope? Commiseration? Anything?

Cinderella, Your pain and frustration are felt by us all. I do know others who have had similar situations in the past. Are you going to a guy who ONLY does Diabetic retinopathy? I do believe this is essential for the bet care and hope for remedy sooner. Sending healing light.

Hi Lisa C. My doctor treats all retina situations not just diabetic retinopathy. He is hailed as the best in my area. I donā€™t lnow if there is anyone who solely takes care of diabetic patients around here. I know my doctor has kept a lot of people going, myself included. Itā€™s just so frustrating because Iā€™ll just get my eye cleared out. Things will be great and then Iā€™ll have another bleed which sets me back two months waiting for it to clear out. There seems to be no end in sight to it. I see other people post on here that they have a vitrectomy or get some lasering and then they are good to go. Not so for me for some reason. I keep getting set back over and over again. Itā€™s hard to keep picking myself up. Iā€™m still working full time but this situation makes it really hard. Would like to quit for a while and just concentrate on myself but I donā€™t know how I would manage on less than full time pay. Itā€™s a troubling situation that causes me a lot of stress and worry.