What it is
A scleral buckle is a thin silicone band, like a belt, placed around the outside of the eye to gently indent the eye wall inward. This indentation relieves the tension that pulls the retina away from the underlying tissue, helping a detachment heal back into place. The buckle sits beneath the muscles that move the eye and is covered by the conjunctiva — it is not visible from the outside, and it is left in place permanently.
A scleral buckle can be used alone or in combination with vitrectomy, depending on the type of detachment.
When it's used
Scleral buckle surgery is most often used to repair retinal detachments, particularly in younger patients and in certain detachment patterns where the buckle approach offers advantages over vitrectomy alone.
What to expect
The procedure is performed in the operating room as outpatient surgery, usually under local anesthesia with sedation.
After surgery
- The eye will feel sore and look red for several days.
- A patch is placed over the eye after surgery and removed the next day.
- Vision is blurred during early recovery and improves gradually as healing progresses.
- Activity restrictions vary by case; your surgeon will give you specific instructions.
The silicone material is inert and does not cause reactions. The buckle remains permanently and continues to support the retina long after surgery. Modern scleral buckles are MRI-safe; there are no restrictions on MRI imaging.