Vitrectomy Surgery

What is vitrectomy?

The surgery to remove and clean the vitreous is called vitrectomy. The thin nerve layer that surrounds the inner surface of the eye like a sheet and creates visual signals is called the retina. The gel substance that fills the inside of the eye is called the vitreous. The vitreous is normally attached to the retina. In some diseases, the vitreous substance becomes cloudy and may impair vision. Sometimes the vitreous must be removed to interfere with the retina. In this way:

Bleeding cleaning
Scar tissue and wrinkle correction
Macular hole repair
Retinal tear repair
Removal of intraocular foreign body

necessary interventions can be made.

In which cases is vitrectomy surgery necessary?

Vitrectomy is generally performed in cases where the vitreous (gel substance) becomes cloudy and in some retinal diseases. These:

retinal detachment
macular hole
diabetes-related bleeding and retinal diseases
membrane formation on the retinal surface (epiretinal membrane)
Complications related to cataract surgery
sampling for diagnostic purposes
trauma and intraocular foreign body
endophthalmitis (intraocular infection)
It is performed in diseases such as vitreous turbidity due to uveitis.

How is Vitrectomy Surgery Performed?

Vitrectomy surgery is an outpatient procedure. So the patient does not need to stay in the hospital. If there is no special situation, the patient is discharged on the same day. In most patients, regional (local) anesthesia applied to the corner of the eye is sufficient. General anesthesia can be applied in pediatric patients, panic attack patients, eye traumas or operations that are expected to take a very long time.

Before starting the operation, the eye is wiped and covered in a sterile manner. Then, with very thin instruments, 3 incisions of approximately 1 mm are made in the white part of the eye just behind the pupil, and the operation is started.

First, the vitreous gel is removed. Then, the treatment of diseased tissues such as tears, holes, membranes in the retina is performed. If necessary, laser treatment is applied. At the end of the operation, liquid, air, gas or silicone is left in the eye.

The fluid produced by the eye itself replaces the substance left in the eye over time. This is 1 week for air, 2-8 weeks for gas. Silicone, on the other hand, does not disappear in the eye and requires a second surgery to be removed.