The Scleral Buckling Procedures

In the first article of this series we defined what is meant by scleral buckling; this was followed by a description of four basic types of scleral buckling and a brief outline of the pre- and postoperative care of a standard case. Many cases, of course, are not standard, and the handling of these atypical cases often creates technical difficulties. In this article, the management of such difficulties is discussed. The first part deals with problems which may occur during the performance of the scleral buckling, and the second, with problems sometimes encountered at the end of the procedure. Reoperations will be considered in subsequent articles. Problems Occurring During a Scleral Buckling Operation During operation, difficulties may arise as a result of thinness of the sclera, poor exposure, and interference with the vortex veins or the long ciliary arteries and nerves. Thinness of the sclera is not infrequent and is