 |
Macular Pucker Surgery
A macular pucker usually requires no treatment.
In many cases, the symptoms of vision distortion and
blurriness are mild, and no treatment is necessary.
Neither eye drops,
medications, nor nutritional supplements will
improve vision distorted from macular pucker.
Membrane peel surgery
Occasionally, vision deteriorates to the point where
it affects daily routine activities. When this
happens, surgery may be recommended. This procedure
is called a vitrectomy,
in which the
vitreous gel is removed to prevent it from
pulling on the
retina and replaced with a salt
solution. Because the vitreous is mostly water, you
will notice no change between the salt solution and
the normal vitreous. Also, the scar tissue which
causes the wrinkling is removed.
Dr. Deupree usually
performs a vitrectomy under local anesthesia. He
performs all of his surgeries at the
nationally-recognized, top-rated
Mease Countryside Ambulatory
Surgical Center in Clearwater.
After the operation, you may need to wear an eye
patch for the day to protect the eye.
You will also need to use medicated eye drops to
protect against infection.
How successful is this surgery?
Surgery to repair a macular pucker is very delicate,
and while vision improves in most cases, it does not
always return to normal. Some people have significantly more vision restored,
some less. In most cases, vision distortion is
significantly reduced. Recovery of vision can
take up to three months. Dr. Deupree discusses the
risks and benefits of the surgery in detail with his
patients prior to deciding on surgery.
What are the risks of surgery?
The most common complication of a vitrectomy is an
increase in the rate of
cataract development.
Cataract surgery may be needed within a few years
after the vitrectomy. Other, less common
complications are
retinal detachment either during
or after surgery, and infection after surgery. Also,
the macular pucker may grow back, but this is rare.Ref: National Eye Institute |
|
