Raghav Chadha undergoes vitrectomy: What is this procedure and ...

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha has undergone an eye procedure in London. On Tuesday, Delhi’s Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that Chadha had to rush to London for the procedure as he was at risk of potential eyesight loss.

“Raghav Chadha has undergone a major eye surgery in the UK. It is said that his condition was serious and there was a possibility of blindness. As soon as he gets better, he will come back to India and join us in the election campaigning,” the Delhi Health Minister told PTI Videos.

According to media reports, Chadha underwent a vitrectomy which was performed to prevent retinal detachment in his eye.

According to a report by HT, Chadha has a hole in one of the retinae, which was followed by some complications and he might have lost his eyesight. Reportedly, the surgery was successful and he recovering well.

‘Myopia increases risk of retinal detachment’

Myopia, or nearsightedness, increases the risk of retinal detachment. According to Dr Amit Jain ,Retina specialist, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, the lifetime risk for retinal detachment in individuals with high myopia is about one in 20.

“The risk of developing a retinal detachment is 5-6 times greater in people with high myopia (>6D of refractive error) compared to those with low myopia (<3D). People with high myopia have longer eyes (axial elongation), which means that the retina is more stretched and thus prone to retinal tears. In addition, myopic eyes have a degenerate/ liquified vitreous that is more likely to separate from the retina increasing the traction on thin retina and subsequent risk of retinal tears.It is important to make patients aware of these potentially sight-threatening conditions and that their risk appears to be proportionate to their degree of myopia,” Dr. Jain told Financial Express.com.

According to Dr. Jain, retinal detachment can affect any age group.

“One should contact an eye specialist immediately if they see flashes of lights (usually seen in dim light) or floaters, or if they experience visual field loss (curtain like shadow falling in front of their eyes). In addition, regular eye exams are crucial for detecting any changes in the retina early on,” he said.

Management of Retinal detachment primarily needs surgical intervention. At times, combination of treatments provides the best results, he added.

What is vitrectomy?

Vitrectomy is a type of eye surgery used to treat problems of the eye’s retina and vitreous. According to Cleveland Clinic, the procedure is done to remove the vitreous fluid from the eyeball. Additionally, it can be done to remove cloudy fluid or fluid with debris or to do repairs on your retina or macula.

During the surgery, the surgeon removes the vitreous and then repairs the retina. The surgeon may replace the vitreous humor with sterile salt water, silicone oil or a gas bubble.

Why vitrectomy is done?

According to Cleveland Clinic, vitrectomy is required if you have an eye condition that:

Causes your vitreous to become cloudy. This is often due to vitreous hemorrhage or bleeding in your eye. Causes pulling on or damage to your retina. Isn’t easy to diagnose. Needs a drug delivery or therapeutic device. When is vitrectomy done?

Vitrectomy is recommended if you have one of these diseases or conditions:

Diabetic retinopathy, with bleeding or scar tissue affecting the retina or vitreous gel Some forms of retinal detachment (when the retina lifts away from the back of the eye) Macular hole (a hole or tear in the macula) Macular pucker (wrinkles or creases in the macula) An infection in the eye called endophthalmitis Severe eye injury Certain problems during cataract surgery What are the risks of vitrectomy?

Every surgical procedure has its risks. Some of risks of vitrectomy include:

Getting an infection. Bleeding. Retinal tearing or detachment. Developing a new cataract or having an existing cataract grow more quickly. Having either low or high pressure in your eye. Needing repeat eye surgery. Rarely, vision loss or blindness.