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What is Eye Muscle Surgery?
Eye muscle surgery refers to a surgical procedure to repair eye muscle problems that cause misaligned eyes, known as strabismus. The surgery helps in positioning the eyes correctly to enable correct movement.
It may include various procedures such as loosening and tightening procedures, myectomy, myotomy, tenectomy, tenotomy, resection, tucking, repositioning, etc. The surgery may be performed on one or both eyes depending on the case.
How is Eye Muscle Surgery Performed?
A small incision is made on the conjunctiva covering the white of the eye.
- The eye muscles that need surgery are located and depending on the requirement, the muscles are either strengthened or weakened.
- If a muscle needs to be strengthened, the muscle is shortened by removing a section of it. This is known as resection.
- If a muscle needs to be weakened, the muscle is reattached to the back of the eye. This is known as recession.
- For adult patients, an adjustable suture may be applied on the weakened muscle.
How to Prepare for Eye Muscle Surgery?
The patient’s full medical history and physical checkup are required before the surgery.
- The patient’s orthoptic measurements are required.
- The doctor should be informed about the drugs, herbs or vitamins that the patient is taking.
- The doctor should be informed if the patient has any allergies and other ailments.
- Certain medication that the patient may be taking should be stopped approximately 10 days before the surgery.
- The patient may need to stop taking any solid or liquid food for several hours before the surgery.
- If medication needs to be taken on the day of the surgery, it can be taken with a small sip of water.
Days admitted:None. The surgery is usually done as an outpatient procedure.
Anesthesia:General anesthesia is given to children; adult patients may be given local anesthesia.
Recovery:- The eyes may become itchy after the surgery for two to three weeks.
- The eyes may become watery and turn reddish for about two weeks.
- Hemorrhage may occur over the white of the eye for two to three weeks.
- Membranes that may have thickened over the eye will take several weeks to disappear.
- Mild swelling and discharge accompanied by pain will gradually disappear over two to three days after the surgery.
- The patient may experience double vision for a short period of time.
Risks:- Adverse reactions to anesthesia and medicines
- Breathing difficulty
- Bleeding and infection
- Wound infection
- Eye damage
- Permanent double vision
After care:- The patient should have a follow-up appointment with the doctor in one to two weeks after the surgery.
- The patient should avoid rubbing the eyes.
- Eye-drops or ointments may be required to prevent infection.
- Some medications should be avoided during the recovery period.
- The patient should ensure that the eyes do not get wet for three to four days after the surgery.
- Swimming should be avoided for 10 days.
- The patient may need to wear glasses or a patch as the eye muscle surgery does not repair poor vision of an amblyopic eye.
- To treat binocular vision, corrective lenses and eye exercises may be required.
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