Dr. Francis C. DeCroos, Southeastern Retina AssociatesQ: Is the eye pulled out of the eye socket to perform retina eye surgery?
A: Most modern retina surgery is performed through a technique called pars plana vitrectomy. In this technique, three very small incisions are made in the eye. Each incision is typically 0.025 inches, or less, at the widest point. These incision often do not require suturing after surgery but are self-sealing due to their minimal size.
Various surgical tools can be placed through the incisions to treat many different kinds of retinal diseases. Through the pars plana vitrectomy technique, a variety of problems inside the eye can be repaired, including retinal detachments, vitreous hemorrhages, macular puckers and macular holes.
– Dr. Francis C. DeCroos, Southeastern Retina Associates; member, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society