Author Topic: Retinal detachment  (Read 3490 times)

Retinal detachment
« on: 21 January, 2018, 05:58:06 pm »
Bit of a dramatic weekend - after visiting the optician on Tuesday with disturbances in my peripheral vision, I called the out of hours GP on Friday evening as I felt there was a deterioration and growing blind spot. Saw the duty opthamologist at noon on Saturday and was told to get to York asap - the surgeon is waiting for you. Anyway arrived in York at 3.15 and was on the table for a retinal repair by 6. Local anesthetic, preferred by me, and clear at 7.

Small tear, and a good outcome so far, though I can't see anything yet as my eye is full of gas.

Have to say how great the team at York hospital were

Mike

Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #1 on: 21 January, 2018, 06:02:15 pm »
Good that you got it early. My sympathies.

barakta

  • Bastard lovechild of Yomiko Readman and Johnny 5
Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #2 on: 21 January, 2018, 06:03:03 pm »
Yikes. Glad things were sorted so speedily. Wishing you the best for a full recovery.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #3 on: 21 January, 2018, 06:04:05 pm »
Get well soon!
This seems to have happened with several friends, who have made good recoveries. I think myopia is a risk factor.
Pleased the NHS worked well for you!

Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #4 on: 21 January, 2018, 09:26:33 pm »
Yes, a -10 prescription gives a significantly increased probability. That and aging.

So far positive direction, so now just obeying orders to try and maximize chance of a good recovery. The NHS team were brilliant and I am very very grateful.

Thanks all.

Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #5 on: 21 January, 2018, 09:31:44 pm »
Mike, My sympathies.  I hope that all continues to recover and that you are able to get out and about again soon.

Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #6 on: 21 January, 2018, 09:36:11 pm »
Best wishes for as full a recovery as possible Mike.   

So pleased that the crappy old NHS which only works five days a week were able to provide such awesome care.


Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
    • Twitter
Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #7 on: 21 January, 2018, 09:42:35 pm »
Eek! I had visual disturbance this afternoon which was a bit worrying but seems to have gone now. Hope it all heals well.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

JamesBradbury

  • The before-ride picture is even worse
    • James Thinks
Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #8 on: 21 January, 2018, 09:57:29 pm »
Sorry to hear that. I had a detached retina about 15 year ago. Unfortunately, as the side of my periferal vision affected overlapped with my other eye, I didn't notice until about a third of my vision in one eye was grey. They lasered it back on under GA, but the extreme edge of my vision, maybe 20%, on that side is still very blurry and a bit dim. Fortunately, as it overlaps with the vision from my left eye, I don't notice when both are open.

For a few months after the op I found that straight vertical lines appeared to have kink in them, but I guess my brain adjusted to this over time.

As my right eyeball is a slightly funny shape after the op I can still get my eyes monetarily looking in slightly different directions, but it rarely bothers me and is someone a party trick.

I wish I'd spotted it sooner, but overall I was well looked after by the NHS and consider it a minor affliction.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk


Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #9 on: 21 January, 2018, 10:06:12 pm »
Hmm.  This happened to my wife about 2 weeks ago: Turned out to be a tear in the retina and localised detachment. After speaking to optician, we went to Gartnaval, where they did some laser treatment, so "spot weld" the retina back on.

She gets "floaters" anyway, but these were much worse for her. Also flashes of light.  She also said she had cloudy vision, which doc says was blood in the eyeball from the tear which would dissipate over time.

On 2nd check up, they did more laser treatment, but due to position of the tear, they cannot circle right around it, leaving a section (11o'clock to 1oclock) without laser treatment. She is still getting some flashes.

No word of any need for an op, but some regular checkup appointments for a while. (My sis-in-law had an operation for a detached retina under a local, where they seemed to put some balloon in the eyeball and inflate to press retina back on. She had good outcome)

Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #10 on: 22 January, 2018, 08:35:59 am »
Glad to hear they acted so fast.

One in the eye for those who say that 'socialised medicine doesn't work'.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #11 on: 22 January, 2018, 10:44:01 am »
This (or something similar) happened to my father. He had to spend a lot of time with his face down on a pillow which didn't sound pleasant at all. His sight is OK, but not as good as it was pre-incident. I hope your outcome is better.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #12 on: 22 January, 2018, 10:50:13 am »
I hope it clears up well and can be forgotten.

I'm currently worrying because the left side of my left eye's periphery seems to be misty - as if my glasses were smudged, but it doesn't go away when I take them off.  I suppose I'll have to tread the same route in the next day or two.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #13 on: 22 January, 2018, 12:12:49 pm »
I hope it clears up well and can be forgotten.

I'm currently worrying because the left side of my left eye's periphery seems to be misty - as if my glasses were smudged, but it doesn't go away when I take them off.  I suppose I'll have to tread the same route in the next day or two.

Don’t wait. Tears and detachment propagate if not treated.


Yes, and thanks, the NHS can be great at times. I think too that I am fortunate in that we seem to still have function in the area, although the level of staff commitment required to sustain it is very significant. It makes the case ever more strongly that the NHS needs real ongoin financial support and honesty from government.

Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #14 on: 22 January, 2018, 12:17:09 pm »
Hmm.  This happened to my wife about 2 weeks ago: Turned out to be a tear in the retina and localised detachment. After speaking to optician, we went to Gartnaval, where they did some laser treatment, so "spot weld" the retina back on.

She gets "floaters" anyway, but these were much worse for her. Also flashes of light.  She also said she had cloudy vision, which doc says was blood in the eyeball from the tear which would dissipate over time.

On 2nd check up, they did more laser treatment, but due to position of the tear, they cannot circle right around it, leaving a section (11o'clock to 1oclock) without laser treatment. She is still getting some flashes.

No word of any need for an op, but some regular checkup appointments for a while. (My sis-in-law had an operation for a detached retina under a local, where they seemed to put some balloon in the eyeball and inflate to press retina back on. She had good outcome)

I had the op under local - remove vitreous jelly and cryogenic repair around the year and another break they found, then fill eye with gas mixture to support retina in position. Given the peripheral location I suspect laser wasn’t possible.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #15 on: 22 January, 2018, 12:58:57 pm »
I hope it clears up well and can be forgotten.

I'm currently worrying because the left side of my left eye's periphery seems to be misty - as if my glasses were smudged, but it doesn't go away when I take them off.  I suppose I'll have to tread the same route in the next day or two.

Don’t wait. Tears and detachment propagate if not treated.


Yup - I'll tickle up the ophthalmo once he's back from lunch.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

simonp

Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #16 on: 22 January, 2018, 09:40:04 pm »
Glad you got that sorted.  :thumbsup:


Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #17 on: 22 January, 2018, 11:44:28 pm »
Eek! I had visual disturbance this afternoon which was a bit worrying but seems to have gone now. Hope it all heals well.
There are other possible causes.
I get occasional migraine auras, starting in the middle of my vision and expanding outwards into an arc of shimmering zig-zaggy lines. They last about 15 minutes. No headache, though I do feel slightly odd for an hour or so. The give-away is that it affects both eyes the same.
A bit worrying, until I worked out what it was.

Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #18 on: 24 January, 2018, 03:22:44 pm »
Glad to hear you got fast treatment. It's a worry I have. What's the symptoms?

BTW I've been shortsighted for getting towards 40 years. Most of those were with a high prescription. The last eye test I had the optician told me about being a high risk for detached retina. The first I had heard about it which surprised the optician. I should have been told earlier

BTW it is considered a high risk with a prescription of - 6.5 or worse I've been worse than that since early to mid teens. Let's just say 32 years of visiting opticians without being warned of the risks. IMHO that's kind of negligence by omission. I've got a prescription of - 10.25 and -9.75. I've also got astigmatism which probably doesn't help.

So what should I be looking out for (sorry about the pun)? Seriously worried.

I've had bad floaters for years. My eyes seem to go worse with the vision when tired and occasionally feel cloudy. Since the last time that happened I had my last eye test which the optician informed me of risk and said he could not see any evidence of detachment.

BTW I use optician not the correct term because it's easier with autocorrect on my phone.

Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #19 on: 24 January, 2018, 06:41:38 pm »
My symptoms were an initial disturbance and small blind spot in my peripheral vision, diagnosed by the ‘optician’ as changes in the vitreous and strict instruction to return if any changes. Hindsight says that I also had ‘flashing lights’ albeit not so much lightning as a ring of illumination around what became the tear. On Friday night I noticed the blind patch spreading and increasing out of focus area, so called the out of hours GP. He arranged for me to see the hospital duty ophthalmologist who did a thorough examination and said that she’d call her colleagues in York. I was then sent to ‘get there as quickly as possible - the surgeon is waiting’

I’m around -10 and have been for years. Now age 52, so high risk of course. The aerial pyg is that the vitreous shrinks and changes with age and then pulls away from the retina (posterior vitreous detachment) and in doing so can damage the stretched and weak retina that short sight creates.

Mike

Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #20 on: 14 February, 2018, 09:02:50 am »
Quick update on progress - I had a check up last week and another last night. Hopefully final review in the current round on 22 March.

Retina is attached and sealed and I have recovered virtually all vision in my right eye. There is a very small blind spot right out in the periphery where the 'spot weld' was done and another directly opposite where another weld was required. Neither of these are in any way problematic given where they sit in the field. In fact, unless I went looking for them, they wouldn't ever be noticed.

After the operation as the gas bubble dissipated - about 2 weeks - I had a few highly mobile floaters that were debris. These have now pretty well gone and I only have a very occasional speck. In time I suspect that will be absorbed also.

Vision is not quite there yet in that eye, as it appears a bit more short sighted than before. However, pinhole checks show that the acuity remain good in the centre field, so prospects are good, and this could be due to the pressure being a bit up over normal (19 vs 13), which is probably a consequence of the steroid drops I'm on until Saturday. The consultant suggested that I hold off going to the optician until a few weeks after they were finished to allow the eye to settle, and then to not spend much on new glasses/lenses as I will need a lens replacement for the expected cataract in due course. Still need to decide what to do with the left eye at that point as they will fit a lens that gives me good vision in my right eye for the first time in almost 50 years.

So all in all and accepting that there remains some risk of further detachments on an ongoing basis, so far a very positive outcome and a credit to the optical team at York General.

Mike

Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
    • Twitter
Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #21 on: 15 February, 2018, 10:03:09 pm »
Good news. Is the expected cataract a result of the surgery?

Glad to hear you got fast treatment. It's a worry I have. What's the symptoms?

BTW I've been shortsighted for getting towards 40 years. Most of those were with a high prescription. The last eye test I had the optician told me about being a high risk for detached retina. The first I had heard about it which surprised the optician. I should have been told earlier

BTW it is considered a high risk with a prescription of - 6.5 or worse I've been worse than that since early to mid teens. Let's just say 32 years of visiting opticians without being warned of the risks. IMHO that's kind of negligence by omission. I've got a prescription of - 10.25 and -9.75. I've also got astigmatism which probably doesn't help.

So what should I be looking out for (sorry about the pun)? Seriously worried.

I've had bad floaters for years. My eyes seem to go worse with the vision when tired and occasionally feel cloudy. Since the last time that happened I had my last eye test which the optician informed me of risk and said he could not see any evidence of detachment.

BTW I use optician not the correct term because it's easier with autocorrect on my phone.

I believe another problem us really short sighted gits are more prone to is macular degeneration. Out of my blood relations my Nan had glaucoma (I was told at the time, but now I wonder if it was actually MD) and my dad's sister and my brother have MD. Lots to look forward to....  :-\
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #22 on: 15 February, 2018, 11:10:29 pm »
Good news. Is the expected cataract a result of the surgery?



It's caused by the gas which fills the eye following the surgery. I had one retinal detachment in 2012, treated cryogenically, followed by 8 days of posturing, basically looking at the floor most of the time. I had a cataract operation in 2015.

The other eye had a retinal detachment last December, that was treated with laser, and there was less posturing. I've been down for a cataract operation for that eye since June, with no word of a date.

Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #23 on: 16 February, 2018, 12:29:04 am »
The surgeon said that the cataracts tend to develop because after the removal of the vitreous, which is very low in oxygen, the eye refills with an aqueous fluid, which is oxygen rich. Her explanation was that the oxygen is good for the retina, but bad for the lens as it oxidises the proteins causing the cataract.

The gas is a fascinating example of clever thinking, in my case being a mixture of sulphur hexadluoride and air, that expands over the first 36 or so hours after the operation to maintain ocular pressure as the fluid behind the retina is absorbed. It subsequently is absorbed over a couple of weeks. All managed by the proportion of SF6 used and driven by the partial pressures and low solubility of SF6. Brilliant stuff.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Retinal detachment
« Reply #24 on: 16 February, 2018, 07:55:04 am »
Cataract ops are great fun. Apart from being fascinating, in the following weeks the capsule containing the lens can wrinkle, with cataract-like effects on vision. Treatment for that is to cut away an aperture with a laser, but thereafter you can get diffraction at the edges, which has its own effect. Night driving with oncoming traffic is a jolly exercise. Not so much a problem with nocturnal cycling, though: you take longer to ride through the clear "snapshots" you take when undazzled than you do to drive through them.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight