Eye still not lined up right after orbit fracture surgery. Will it improve? (Photo)

Question

I got into a fight march 26 and got punched in the right eye. I got orbit fracture surgery April 7th which is 4 days ago. My eyes still ain't lined up right. I feel worried and paranoid. Am I going to have to get another surgery done? Will my eyes eventually line up?

Stephen Weber MD, FACS · Answer

Assuming that the repair of your right orbital fracture went smoothly, the malposition of your eye could still be due to swelling as you're less than a week out from surgery. This should continue to improve if the issue is swelling related. Orbital floor implants can be malpositioned but if this is the cause you will not notice improvement with time. You should have followup with your trauma surgeon typically at one week and one month post-surgery. You should pose your questions to them. If you don't have followup or don't have confidence in the answers you're receiving, I agree with Dr. Steinsapir that a second opinion would then be warranted. I hope this information is helpful for you.Stephen Weber MD, FACSDenver Facial Plastic Surgeon

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD · Answer

However, once the repair is done, it is worth your while to follow up with an oculoplastic surgeon.  Downstate Medical Center has very good oculoplastic surgeons and you would do well to be assessed by this service if you have limited financial resources.  If your health insurance is good, there are a number of excellent oculoplastic surgeons in Manhattan.  The American Society for Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery has a regional directory on their website that can help you identify a very well qualified oculoplastic surgeon (ASOPRS dot org).

Sachin S. Pawar, MD · Answer

You are still relatively early in the healing process after surgery and it is too early to definitively tell if there is an issue with the repair. Orbital surgery itself can result in a fair amount of swelling that can take a few weeks to resolve and can result in asymmetry between the eyes in the early post-operative period. Issues such as double vision following surgery to repair an orbital fracture can persist even longer in some cases, but will often resolve with time. I would recommend continued close follow-up with your surgeon who should be able to evaluate you and address your concerns.

Naveen Somia, MBBS, PhD, FRACS · Answer

It is too early to make the final call.The swelling after surgery lasts for a few weeks. If your Surgeon says that the operation went well then you will have to wait for the swelling to resolve completely before making the assessment, usually about 4-6 weeks

Jeffrey Schiller, MD · Answer

The trauma of the punch caused injury to the nerves and muscles, and so did the surgery, so it can take a while for everything to heal and the eye muscles to work properly. Follow up with your surgeon. Rarely a re-operation is necessary but usually time alone will allow the eyes to work together correctly.

Eye still not lined up right after orbit fracture surgery. Will it improve? (Photo)

Answers (5)

Answer: Eye still not lined up right after orbit fracture surgery. Will it improve?

Answer: Eye still not lined up right after orbit fracture surgery. Will it improve?

Answer: Four days too early

Answer: Four days too early

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Eyelid Surgery

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.

Eye still not lined up right after orbit fracture surgery. Will it improve? (Photo)

Answers (5)

Answer: Eye still not lined up right after orbit fracture surgery. Will it improve?

Answer: Eye still not lined up right after orbit fracture surgery. Will it improve?

Answer: Four days too early

Answer: Four days too early

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Eyelid Surgery

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.