Treatment FAQ

what treatment is the first step in restoring the area of eye enucleation?

by Beth O'Kon I Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago

what is the first step to treating a head with eye enucleation loosely fill it with cotton soaked in autopsy gel enucleation: what should you do with the orbital cavity once you have removed the initial packing from the eye fill the eye with cotton to restore normal shape

Full Answer

What is enucleation of the eyeball?

Enucleation is the surgical removal of the eyeball that leaves the eye muscles and remaining orbital contents intact. Enucleation is performed to remove large-sized eye tumors or as a result of traumatic injury when the eye cannot be preserved.

When is enucleation necessary for ocular melanoma treatment?

Within months to years, many patients who are treated with radiation for large ocular melanomas lose vision, develop glaucoma, and eventually have to undergo enucleation. The two types of eye tumors that may require enucleation are: Intraocular eye melanoma.

When is enucleation used to remove a tumor?

Currently, enucleation is most commonly used to remove eyes with extra large-sized tumors, large tumor-bearing eyes with little or no vision and those with severe glaucoma.

What are the normal results of enucleation surgery for retinal detachment?

Normal results. Within two to six weeks of enucleation surgery, patients are sent for a temporary ocular prosthesis (plastic eye). Besides the swelling and the black eye, patient features look normal.

How long does it take to recover from enucleation surgery?

This is a patient (looking forward) who has completed cosmetic rehabilitation 8 weeks after enucleation surgery. Enucleation is removal of the eye. It is a form of treatment that allows your eye-cancer specialist to remove the tumor from your body. Unfortunately, when the eye is removed there is no chance that vision can be restored.

What happens when you remove an eye?

Side effects/complications. When an eye is removed, the patient loses all vision and the cosmetic use of the globe. Reported complications include hemorrhage, infection and extrusion of the implant.

How long does it take for an orbital tumor to heal?

The orbit should heal quickly and you should be able to return to school or work within 2 to 6 weeks. You should not lift more than 10 pounds, strain, or rub your eye for at least 14 days after surgery. The enucleation patient should also not take aspirin or other blood thinners unless your internist says it is required. You will need to be examined at 5-7 days, 1 month and every 6 months after surgery. This is because there is an extremely small chance the tumor will regrow behind your prosthesis.

What is the treatment for orbital hemorrhage?

Such hemorrhages can be painful, but intervention is rarely helpful. Patients are typically treated with analgesic medications (pain-killers).

How long does it take for a headache to go away after eye surgery?

Most patients have a headache for 24-36 hours after surgery which goes away with two regular Tylenol every 4 hours. Many patients are concerned that the loss of the eye may hurt. But the eye is surrounded by bones, therefore it is much easier to tolerate removal of an eye as compared to loss of a lung or kidney.

Can you see with a fellow eye?

Fortunately, most patients can see with their fellow eye, almost all patients are able to do all the things they used to do (before losing their eye) and with ocular prosthetics people are typically happy with how they appear.

What is the procedure to remove the eye?

There are two main types of eye removal surgery: Enucleation. The entire eye (globe) is removed in an enucleation. The muscles that control eye movement are left intact and are resewn to the spherical implant (artificial eyeball). Evisceration. During an evisceration, the cornea (clear, dome-shaped window at the front of the eye) ...

How to remove an eye?

Here is what will happen just before and during eye removal surgery: 1 Both procedures take place in the operating room and you will be given either general anesthesia (numbing medicine and medicine that puts you to sleep) or local anesthesia with sedation (numbing medicine and medication that helps you relax). 2 As part of the eye surgery, a marble-like implant is placed inside the eye to fill the empty socket. 3 With enucleation, the six extraocular eye muscles are sewn to the implant. With evisceration, the muscles maintain their connection to the sclera so there is no need for surgery on them. 4 A temporary plastic prosthetic called a conformer is placed over the implant. The conformer aids healing and serves as a placeholder between the eyelids and the orbital implant, where the custom-painted final prosthetic will sit six to eight weeks later. 5 Sometimes, the eyelid is sewn shut to help the wound heal and hold the conformer in place. 6 A large pressure bandage or dressing is taped over the eye to protect the wound and prevent bleeding. It also helps reduce inflammation (swelling, soreness, and bruising). 7 Generally, both surgeries take about an hour. In most cases, the surgery is outpatient, meaning you can go home the same day.

What is a prosthesis eye?

The prosthesis is like a large contact lens, custom painted by the ocularist to resemble your other eye. It fits over the implant placed inside the eye during surgery. You should choose an ocularist and schedule an appointment with them before the surgery.

What is the name of the prosthetic that is placed over an eye implant?

With evisceration, the muscles maintain their connection to the sclera so there is no need for surgery on them. A temporary plastic prosthetic called a conformer is placed over the implant.

Why do you sew your eyelid shut?

Sometimes, the eyelid is sewn shut to help the wound heal and hold the conformer in place. A large pressure bandage or dressing is taped over the eye to protect the wound and prevent bleeding. It also helps reduce inflammation (swelling, soreness, and bruising). Generally, both surgeries take about an hour.

How long after eye surgery can you remove bandage?

Generally, the bandage can be removed the next day. Follow-up. The follow-up exam takes place about a week after the surgery. At this time, your surgeon may remove the bandage if you have not already done so, and look at your eye to see how it's healing.

What happens before eye removal surgery?

Here is what will happen just before and during eye removal surgery: Both procedures take place in the operating room and you will be given either general anesthesia (numbing medicine and medicine that puts you to sleep) or local anesthesia with sedation (numbing medicine and medication that helps you relax).

Who performs eye enucleation?

Eye enucleation is usually performed by an ophthalmic surgeon or an ophthalmologist in a hospital setting. Young and healthy patients may undergo the surgery on an outpatient basis but most stay in the hospital for at least one night after surgery.

Why do people enucleate their eyes?

Enucleation is performed to remove large- sized eye tumors or as a result of traumatic injury when the eye cannot be preserved. In the case of tumors, the amount of radiation required to destroy a tumor of the eye may be too intense for the eye to bear. Within months to years, many patients who are treated with radiation for large ocular ...

What is it called when a tumor grows on the retina?

If the tumor reaches the iris and begins to grow, or if there are symptoms, enucleation may be indicated. Retinoblastoma. Retinoblastoma is a malignant tumor of the retina. The retina is the thin layer of tissue that lines the back of the eye;

What is the most common cause of enucleation in children?

Trauma is considered the most common cause of enucleation in children over three years of age. For the year 2000, Texas demographics for cancer of the eye and orbit were fewer than five per 100,000. According to the Nilt, there are about 2,200 cases of eye cancer diagnosed in the United States each year.

What is the treatment for cancer in one eye?

If there is cancer in both eyes, treatment may involve enucleation of the eye with the larger tumor, and radiation therapy for the other eye. The conjunctiva (outer covering of eye) ...

How to open the eye with a razor blade?

The eye is opened with a sharp razor blade by holding the globe with the left hand, cornea down against the cutting block, and holding the blade between the thumb and middle finger of the right hand. Enucleation proceeds with a sawing motion from back to front.

What is an ophthalmic surgeon?

Ophthalmic surgeons are members of the American College of Eye Surgeons, and are certified by the American Board of Eye Surgery after submitting to an extensive written application. Before ABES certification, they must be certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO).

Description

Procedure

  • Most patients have their eye removed under anesthesia and can go home after surgery. Since your surgery will be performed under general anesthesia, you will not feel or see anything until you wake up. Dr. Finger gives an injection of local extra local orbital anesthetic at the end of your surgery, just before placing the pressure bandage over the wound. This injection of anesthetic al…
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Side Effects/Complications

  • When an eye is removed, the patient loses all vision and the cosmetic use of the globe. Reported complications include hemorrhage, infection and extrusion of the implant. In our review of Enucleation published in the Survey of Ophthalmology, we found that integrated implants were more likely to get infected or extrude. However, these complications are becoming less commo…
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Post Treatment Care

  • After your surgery you will have a pressure bandage over your eye. In our center, we ask patient to leave it in place for 5-days. On the 5th day, we remove the bandage and typically place a temporary prosthesis (plastic eye). In addition, we ask patients to take a topical antibiotic and steroid daily for up to a month. This helps the wound heal mor...
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Studies/Research

  • A Review of Enucleation By Moshfeghi DM, Moshfeghi AA, Finger PT. Survey of Ophthalmology 2000:44:277-301
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