The Retina Centers of Washington


  Contact : (301) 279-9123 , Fax: (301) 279-6828

A vitrectomy is a surgical procedure, where the vitreous is removed from the eye. There are many different eye conditions that can be treated with a vitrectomy, including:

  • Vitreous hemorrhage
  • Proliferative diabetic retinopathy
  • Retinal detachment
  • Macular pucker
  • Macular hole
  • Symptomatic floaters
  • Complications of cataract surgery
  • Traumatic cataract
  • Intraocular foreign body

More information about some of these conditions can be found in the Education section.

Vitrectomies are performed in an operating room. Local anesthesia (where the patient is awake but sedated) is usually utilized, although general anesthesia can be done as well. The surgery itself is done through a surgical microscope using small instruments that cut and aspirate the vitreous from the eye. Depending on the eye condition, additional procedures are done during the surgery. As the range and severity of conditions are quite wide, the length of the surgery and visual outcome is highly variable as well. Depending on the kind of vitrectomy performed, positioning of the head for about 7-10 days may be required. After the surgery the eye is closely monitored, and eye drops are required for 10-14 days period of time to aid in t

Retina Centers of Washington COVID-19 Safety Protocol

Dear Valued Patients and Friends,

We are truly grateful for the love and support you’ve provided us over the past few months as we navigated through the pandemic. With your continued support, we have been able to stay open, through this entire pandemic, to treat our patients' essential eye care needs. 

The safety of our patients, and our staff members, is our top priority; therefore, we have implemented safety protocols set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO).

Here are some of our new safety procedures that are currently in place for when you visit our office(s).

Prior to Your Appointment:

·  You will be pre-screened over the phone when scheduling your appointment.

·  If you have symptoms such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath, we ask that you call and reschedule your appointment.

·  If you have been exposed to anyone with the virus, we ask that you call and reschedule your appointment. 

·  We will minimize the number of people in the practice (please come alone unless there is a true need for someone to accompany you).

·  We request that anyone accompanying you to wait safely in their car, unless it is truly necessary for them to come into your appointment with you. We truly appreciate your cooperation on this.

Once You arrive:

·  We are requiring all patients to arrive wearing a mask (we will provide one if needed), and that it is properly worn through the entire visit. 

·  We will check your temperature upon your arrival.

·  We request that patients use hand sanitizer upon arrival and departure of our office.

·  We have reduced the number of chairs in the waiting area to respect physical distance protocol.

·  All magazines and brochures have been removed.

Staff and Strict Cleaning Protocols:

·  We complete daily prescreening for COVID symptoms for Staff, and Doctors. 

·  All Staff members will be using PPE and wearing masks at all times, including our providers. A face shield and gloves will be worn as needed.

·  Our staff regularly performs surface cleaning of frequently touched areas throughout the day.

·  Our waiting room, exam rooms, testing equipment, and other common areas are cleaned and sterilized after every patient appointment.

We thank you for your patience with all these changes, and for your cooperation as we continue to safely navigate through the pandemic. If you have any questions, please contact our office at 301-279-9124 and we will be glad to help you!