Strabismus surgery is an intervention that can be performed in both children and adults and is used when strabismus causes double vision, torticollis, cosmetic defect or visual fatigue, among others. This surgery requires general anesthesia and is performed on the extraocular muscles responsible for eyeball movements.
Procedure
Once the anesthesia is applied, the eyelids are opened and kept open to start the surgery on the muscle to be treated. EurolĂ ser stresses that no skin incision is necessary, but rather a slit is made in the area of the muscle in question. Finally, they emphasize that the procedure is performed using reabsorbable and, in some cases, adjustable sutures.
If adjustable sutures are chosen, the adjustment will be made after the operation. Once the surgery is completed, anesthetic eye drops will be applied to numb the operated eye, adjusting the sutures to correct the muscles and keep the eyes in the corrected position.
Is the procedure safe?
As with any surgery, there are risks that must be taken into account. However, it is rare that they occur and other complications may occur such as:
- Redness
- Loss or decrease of vision
- Pain in the treated area
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Retinal detachment
- Corneal abrasions
- Eyes are not completely aligned, requiring glasses or a new operation.
Recovery process
After surgery, it is common for the eyes to remain red during the first two weeks and it is even possible that the normal color of the eye may not be recovered for a few months.
On the other hand, medication is not always necessary to combat post-surgical pain, but the patient should use antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops that will be applied to speed up recovery and prevent possible infections.