A vitrectomy is a type of eye surgery to treat various problems with the retina and vitreous. During the surgery, your surgeon removes the vitreous and replaces it with another solution. The vitreous is a gel-like substance that fills the middle portion of your eye.

Vitrectomy surgery for diabetes can be done in the most extreme cases, when there’s blood in the eye or extra growth of blood vessels. These blood vessels can tear up the retina, and perhaps the reason for the surgery is that they are already affecting the retina and pulling on it. It is done in an operating room setting, which may be a private clinic or a hospital setting, but it is a true surgery in the sense that it cannot be done without the sterile operating room conditions for vitrectomy surgery .

It requires putting in three needle-sized incisions in the eye, through which the surgeon operates using a microscope. Very delicate surgery, blood inside the eye can be removed, the growth of scar tissue caused by diabetes can be removed, the retina is put back into place, laser can be performed at the time, and in the end the eye is restored to its original shape and size inside; the retina is put back in its proper place.

The amount of vision recovery from this surgery depends on how bad the retina was to begin with. It is, in those situations, the only way of getting some vision back. After the surgery, the recovery period will be many weeks, you may be away from work for one or two weeks. There may be a gas bubble inside the eye. If there’s a gas bubble, you are not allowed to travel by air until the bubble is gone; bubbles can last from a few weeks up to two months.

In the end, is it worth it? Well, it may be the only way to save your vision, and yes, it is worth it in those situations, but it is, because of its complexity, reserved as a last line of defense against diabetic retinopathy.   Often seeing a local Ophthalmologists or Optometrist in conjunction with your family physician or a registered dietician is a great option to dealing with eye conditions and symptoms. Smart Food Now and exercise is also important for overall health.    

For more information, talk to your eye doctor, who may refer you to a retinal surgeon, for more information and treatment plans. Presenter: Dr. Amit Gupta, Ophthalmologist, Scarborough, ON

Now Health Network Local Practitioners: Ophthalmologist

Vitrectomy surgery is a treatment option for extreme cases of diabetic retinopathy, especially when there is blood in the eye or abnormal blood vessel growth that tears the retina. Surgery is typically performed in a sterile operating room setting with three needle-sized incisions made in the eye. Using a microscope, the surgeon removes blood and scar tissue caused by diabetes, repositions the retina, and performs laser treatment, restoring the eye to its original shape and size.The degree of vision recovery depends on the severity of the condition prior to surgery. Recovery can take several weeks, and patients may need to take time off work for a week or two. If a gas bubble is present in the eye after surgery, air travel is not permitted until the bubble is gone, which may take several weeks or even up to two months.

While vitrectomy surgery is reserved as a last resort for diabetic retinopathy due to its complexity, it may be the only way to save a patient's vision. For more information and treatment options, consult with your eye doctor, who may refer you to a retinal surgeon.  Often seeing a local Ophthalmologists or Optometrist in conjunction with your family physician or a registered dietician is a great option to dealing with eye conditions and symptoms. Smart Food Now and exercise is also important for overall health.