Recovery after Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment

Laser photocoagulation and vitrectomy surgery can produce a range of results and may present complications which are concerns for patients who have diabetic retinopathy. Learn more about what to expect from treatment and the degree of improvement you can expect to achieve.

Vitrectomy Recovery

During your vitrectomy recovery, your eye will be covered with a patch, which you can remove at bedtime. You will also be given eye drops to help speed your recovery after vitrectomy surgery.

Your eye may be swollen and uncomfortable for several days during your vitrectomy recovery period. The discomfort you will feel is generally caused by the swelling outside of the eye. An ice compress and over-the-counter medication should help relieve the swelling and pain. If you experience a deep or throbbing pain which is not relieved by over-the-counter medication, call your doctor right away.

If you are treated for retinal detachment with an expandable gas bubble, you will have to lie face-down for several days as part of your vitrectomy recovery. This is necessary to keep the bubble in the proper position. After excess scar tissue and blood vessels have been removed, the gas bubble will push your retina back into place.

For more information about vitrectomy recovery, contact an ophthalmologist in your area today by searching the DocShop directory.

Vitrectomy Complications

Vitrectomy complications range from having no improvement in your vision to permanent vision loss, though the majority of vitrectomy surgeries are successful. Vitrectomy-related complications are on the decline as a result of improved surgical techniques.

About 82 percent of vitrectomy patients experience significant improvements in vision after the surgery. Of the 18 percent of patients who experience vitrectomy complications, 9 percent have no improvement in their vision, and 9 percent experience permanent vision loss.

Neovascular glaucoma, one of the vitrectomy complications that can occur, causes permanent blindness in about 3 percent of vitrectomy patients. Neovascular glaucoma occurs when new blood vessels grow in the eye, blocking the drainage ducts. This blockage prevents fluid from draining properly and causes a build-up of pressure in the eye.

The risk for developing vitrectomy complications varies, depending on whether or not other procedures are performed in conjunction with your vitrectomy.

If you are required to lie face-down during your vitrectomy recovery, it is important that you follow your doctor’s orders very carefully in order to avoid unnecessary vitrectomy complications.

For more information about vitrectomy complications, contact an ophthalmologist in your area today.

Vitrectomy Results

Vitrectomy results vary because other procedures are often performed in conjunction with the surgery. Your vitrectomy results depend largely on the reason you are having the surgery—whether to remove clouded vitreous gel, scar tissue, or excess blood vessels.

Unlike laser photocoagulation, a vitrectomy usually results in improved vision. The replacement of blood-clouded vitreous gel with a clear solution (a basic vitrectomy) results in marked vision improvement. Along with a vitrectomy, your surgeon may remove scar tissue or excess retinal blood vessels. If the removed scar tissue or blood vessels were causing the retina to detach, their removal will result in improved vision as the retina moves back into position. Scar tissue and blood vessels may also be removed if they are blocking drainage ducts.

Although your vitrectomy results depend on many factors, your vision should begin to improve in about a week.

Another goal of vitrectomy surgery is to prevent further vision loss. In order to maintain favorable vitrectomy results, it’s important that you control your blood sugar by checking it frequently, keeping all follow-up appointments with your surgeon, and having your eyes examined by an ophthalmologist at least once a year.

Laser Photocoagulation Recovery

Laser photocoagulation is an outpatient procedure, and patients can go home as soon as the procedure is completed. Full recovery from laser photocoagulation may take several weeks. Your vision may be blurry for about 24 hours after the surgery, but this initial blurriness should clear up.

Laser photocoagulation will not restore vision that has been lost to diabetic retinopathy, however it does treat macular edema, which helps to slow the progression of the disease.

Patients should be careful to follow their doctor’s instructions closely and keep all follow-up appointments in order to ensure the best recovery. Patients must also control their blood sugar in order to keep their eyes healthy for as long as possible after laser photocoagulation.

Laser Photocoagulation Complications

Because laser photocoagulation seals leaking blood vessels by cauterizing them, this procedure can potentially damage the surrounding healthy tissue. Often, patients will have dark spots within their vision field for some time after the surgery, but these spots should gradually fade.

Laser photocoagulation can cause some permanent vision loss, but patients will still retain more vision with the surgery than without it.

Although laser photocoagulation will slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy, it will not restore vision that has already been lost to the disease, and it is not a cure. Patients may require additional treatments.

If you are interested in finding more information on diabetic retinopathy and laser photocoagulation complications, contact an ophthalmologist in your area through DocShop today.

Photocoagulation Results

Laser photocoagulation has a high rate of success. Laser photocoagulation is not meant to cure diabetic retinopathy, nor will it restore lost vision. Laser photocoagulation is meant to seal leaking blood vessels and slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy. The earlier the disease is caught and treated, the better your chances for success with laser photocoagulation.

In order to get an early diabetic retinopathy diagnosis, all diabetics should have a thorough eye exam by a qualified ophthalmologist every year. Diabetic women who are pregnant should have their eyes examined every trimester.

Blood glucose maintenance is extremely important in controlling diabetic retinopathy. In order to maintain positive results after laser coagulation, patients should check their blood sugar often.

If you would like more information about laser photocoagulation results, contact an ophthalmologist in your area today.

Locate a Diabetic Retinopathy Doctor in Your Area

For more information about treating diabetic retinopathy with photocoagulation or vitrectomy surgery, including the procedures' associated results and complications, contact an ophthalmologist in your area today.

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