Eye Removal Procedures

Surgical Procedures

Dr. Hurley will help determine if partial eye removal will be more beneficial, or if removing the entire eye is the only option. These procedures are used only when absolutely necessary. The three main surgical techniques for partial or complete eye removal are:

Evisceration – Evisceration surgery involves removing the eye contents, while leaving the sclera (the white part of the eye) and the muscles responsible for the eye movements intact.
Enucleation – Enucleation surgery involves the removal of the entire eye (including the sclera), but leaves the eye muscles and the orbit intact.
Exenteration – The most radical of the three procedures, exenteration involves removing the entire eye, the eye muscles, most of the orbital soft tissues and occasionally part of the orbital bones. This procedure is reserved for severe cancers or life-threatening infections.