Is eye muscle surgery risky for adults?
No. However, every surgical procedure has some risks. For strabismus surgery, the most common risks are residual misalignment and double vision (usually temporary). Fortunately, the more serious risks of anesthetic complications, infection, bleeding, retinal detachment, and decreased vision are rare. Health risks vary with the general health of the individual. For those in poor health, surgery under local anesthesia (instead of general anesthesia) or botulinum toxin injection may be considered. How successful is eye muscle surgery? Most individuals have significant improvement in eye alignment with one surgery. Occasionally the surgery is only partially successful and additional surgery may be indicated. How painful is this type of surgery? Discomfort after eye muscle surgery is usually a foreign body sensation in the eye, lasting several days. Over-the-counter pain medication often reduces the discomfort, although stronger medication is sometimes prescribed. Most patients return to fu
