Does the silicone scleral buckle ever need to be taken off?
Once a scleral buckle is sutured onto the wall (sclera) of the eye, it stays in position forever. It may slightly change the shape of the eye, it stays in position forever. It may slightly change the shape of the eye and, after the eye has healed, a new pair of glasses may be necessary. On rare occasions, a scleral buckle placed all the way around the eye may cause pain. If the pain is severe and cannot be relieved with medicine, it may be necessary to loosen or remove the buckle. Rarely, an infection may occur. In such instances, the buckle may need to be removed from the eye. When the buckle is removed, the retina usually remains attached, but may detach. In most cases, however, the scleral buckle remains against the eye forever and causes no serious problem. It cannot be seen by others.
