Orbital socket surgery is a type of surgery that can repair damage to the orbital sockets and the surrounding areas of the face. For those in need of urgent repair to this area of the body, orbital surgery is essential to their health. As with any serious medical procedure, it pays to familiarize yourself with every step of the operation itself, as well as the recommended preparation and how long it will take to recover from the orbital socket surgery.
If you are considering orbital socket surgery, this guide describes how long it will take to recover from the procedure. Knowing this may alleviate any stress you have surrounding the surgery.
What is Orbital Socket Surgery?
Orbital socket surgery is a type of oculoplastic surgery procedure in which a physician repairs damage to the eye socket. The eye socket is a rim of bone that surrounds the eyes and protects some of the delicate elements of the eye and its surrounding tissues.
An undamaged orbital socket can protect the eyes from worsened harm from injuries they sustain, which can be quite severe if the initial injury is not addressed. Some of the primary sources for traumatic injury to the eye socket include things like car accidents and physical altercations.
What is an Orbital Fracture?
An orbital fracture is a broken bone in the eye socket, which is also called the orbit. The bones that make up the eye socket protect the vital and very fragile organs of the eyes, including the:
- Eyeballs
- Eye muscles
- Blood vessels
- Nerves
- Auxiliary structures
The most common cause of these fractures is blunt force trauma to the face. Among orbital fractures, there are several subtypes to be aware of:
- Orbital rim fracture: An orbital rim fracture affects the bony outer edges of the eye sockets. This area of the eyes is quite durable, so it takes quite a bit of force to injure it.
- Blowout fracture: This is the most common type of orbital fracture. During this type of injury, there is a break along the floor or thin inner wall of the eye sockets. A single impact on this area is the most common source of this type of injury.
- Orbital floor fracture: In this type of fracture, the bones of the rim of your eye socket are pushed back, which causes the orbital floor bones to buckle downward. This type of injury has the potential to impact the nerves and muscles that surround the eye. If this occurs, the eye may not be able to move around in its socket properly.
Symptoms of Orbital Fractures
Sometimes, individuals with orbital fractures do not display obvious symptoms. However, this does not mean that they should not still attempt to rectify this issue. Some additional common symptoms of orbital fractures to be aware of are:
- Swelling under the eyes
- Black, blue, or purple bruising
- Blurred vision
- Double vision
- Blood in the white parts of your eyes
- Swelling in your cheeks or forehead
- Numbness
- Difficulty moving your eyes in any direction
- Sunken or bulging eyeballs
Because the face is dense with organs and nerves, an orbital fracture can easily impact other body elements and functions. That is why it truly pays to treat this type of injury before it leads to further trouble.
How Long Does It Take to Recover from Orbital Socket Surgery?
In general, you should put several days aside to get past the initial recovery stages of your surgery, and perhaps a week or two to fully recover from every element of your surgery. Of course, there is some variability that one can expect in terms of the full scope of the recovery from your surgery. Symptoms that you can expect during the recovery period of your surgery include:
- Swelling
- Irritation
- Numbness
- Eye pain
- Double vision
- Light sensitivity
If your symptoms do not disappear within a week or two, contact a medical professional. Prolonged symptoms may indicate that you are experiencing an adverse reaction to the surgical procedure.
The Best Oculoplastic Surgeon in Hawaii
Dr. Bradford Lee and his associates are entirely dedicated to offering the citizens of Hawaii the best in orbital socket surgery and beyond. If you need high-quality orbital socket work from an oculoplastic surgeon in Honolulu, contact our office today to set up a consultation.