Effect of scleral buckling on vector forces caused by epiretinal membranes.
Epiretinal membranes exert a perpendicular force on the retina that is directed toward the center of the vitreous cavity and tends to elevate the retina from the retinal pigment epithelium. A scleral buckle changes the eye wall from concave to convex and reverses the direction of the vector force oriented perpendicular to the eye wall. Therefore, when a scleral buckle is used, the force from an epiretinal membrane pulls the retina toward the retinal pigment epithelium instead of causing retinal detachment.
D005123:Eye / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000503:physiopathology; D012160:Retina / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000517:prevention & control; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012591:Scleral Buckling / Q000379:methods; D013314:Stress, Mechanical