Post vitrectomy pain

[tarz425]

I'm now 5 weeks past a vitrectomy with scleral buckle in my right eye to fix a retinal tear.  The recovery has gone well with no scar-tissue or post-operative problems.  Unfortunately the procedure occurred right after having IOL implants in both eyes for cataracts.  The  repaired eye was briefly 20/20, but now I back to being nearsighted.  I have been fitted for new glasses, but my vision has not yet settled and the prescription appears to have changed by the time I got the new lenses back.

I've got 2 long-term questions:

I now have a small area where the repair is that appears gray to my daytime vision.  My brain "sees" images there when I close my eyes.  Can I ever expect to regain any vision in that spot?  Or do patients just learn to "ignore" the repair spot?

I still have soreness around the eye, especially in the muscles below and above the eye.  I'm not sure if this an artifact of the surgery or just plain eye strain until the eye/prescription fully settles.  How much time is normal for the eye muscles to fully recover?

Frank

[JodieJ]

If you are not contact lens intolerant, wearing a contact lens in your right eye might make your vision more comfortable.  Get only a small supply of contacts, so you can adjust the power as your vision fluctuates.  (Hopefully, your optometrist can help you obtain only a small supply of lenses in your current power.)  I've found Acuvue's 1-day Moist contact to be particularly comfortable.

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

I doubt you are seeing the repair area.  This is usually in the periphery.  One usually does not have discomfort from the surgery.  However, you are correct that this could be due to a difference if refractive error between the two eyes.

Dr. O.