Eye Removal
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In rare cases, patients may lose their eye due to trauma, disease, or cancer. We perform both enucleation and evisceration surgery at Idaho Eyelid and Facial Plastic Surgery. Either way, the patient loses all vision. Enucleation is the surgical removal of the entire eyeball leaving just the eyelid lining and the muscles. Evisceration is the removal of just the contents of the eye, and leaves behind the sclera (white part of the eye) and the eye muscles.
Following enucleation there is a decrease in volume as well as changes in structure which give rise to what has been termed “post-enucleation socket syndrome.” This involves enophthalmos, a deep upper eyelid sulcus, lower eyelid laxity with shallow fornix with possibly ptosis or lid retraction.
Surgical complications are rare at but can include hemorrhage, infection, and extrusion of the implant. Some infections result from orbital implants but are well managed with antibiotics or surgical removal of the orbital implant.
