Post operative retina detachment floaters

[leelee00]

It's been about twelve days since my retina detachment surgury which was done with a sceral buckle.  My macula was still attached.  I spent one week face down with a gas bubble in my eye.  The bubble is still about 1/3 present.  In my field of vision I am seeing about 6 or so small floaters.  Will they go away?  Is this commom?  My surgeons office does not feel I am reporting anything that rquires immediate attention prior to my next appt next week?  Any thoughts?

[Ms. Magoo]

I'm 51, very myopic/astigmatic since puberty & my left retina detached in July 03. Had laser surgery to repair a large U-shaped tear 4 days after the flashes & black snow started. I took a bad fall in Sept 03 and a few weeks later was back in surgery to repair a new tear (this time within hours). I literally watched the blood filling my eye internally that time---it was like a calligrapher writing in the air in front of me in thick, black ink.

Since the first surgery I have had a roiling mass of small, grey floaters and what looks like jagged dead twigs floating around inside my left eye. The dark floaters don't impair my vision so much as they are a constant distraction, i.e., I can no longer differentiate insects buzzing around me from the junk in my left eye. End result: I'm less bug-phobic. I also have a clear mass of some kind floating around in there that when directly in front of my pupil, causes blurring. But some days I hardly notice any floaters at all, it changes every day.

My retina specialist assures me eventually the material floating around inside my eye will dissipate, and I sure hope he's right. He's tops in his field and his laser work has prompted major praise from other eye pros who've inspected my left retina. I'm confident my results are the best anyone could hope for in the same situation.

Sadly, in the past 6 months I've formed a cataract in my left eye (not uncommon in people with retinal trauma, so I hear). Glare is a constant problem, I see huge halos at night around lights, and have lost all sharpness in my left eye's vision. My new cataract specialist has scheduled me for immediate surgery with implantation of the Crystalens. But...

Since reading the IOL/cataract postings elsewhere in this forum, I'm alarmed and considering holding off on the cataract surgery, or simply having a non-correcting lens implanted. I've worn glasses for almost 40 years and don't mind them so much I'm willing to risk ruining what vision I have left in my left eye on the chance the lens will work perfectly and I'll achieve the best-case scenario. This is my experience, hope yours is better!

[EyeSee]

Sorry if my comment alarmed you.  Due to eye injury from surgery cataracts are usually a problem months off but I had some slight amount on that eye to start with I guess.  My vision is very much as you describe wavy and blurry just like looking at someone under water.  I have to go back to work tomorrow as I could not get more than three weeks of short term disablility and I use a computer all day.  Doctor's technician advised that maybe I use one eye for about two weeks more then get new glasses.  If cataract surgery becomes necessary then a lens would be implanted and that would change the glasses.

[leelee00]

hey, i dont undertstand the last part of your comment.
cataracts?  What do you mean? My surgury wasnt that long ago.  Doesnt this take time to really get better.  I have floaters and squiggly lines.  Isn't that normal for being 2 weeks post up?

[EyeSee]

I had same surgery for retinal detachment Apr 14 2006 and the vision in that eye seems to need quite a bit more correction and I too see black floaters whenever I look toward light.  My biggest concern is the wavy and cloudy vision.  Doctor mentioned cataracts form easily after this kind of surgery and bareley present yet so do not attribute it to that.

[Forum-OD-MP]

very, very common.  yes they will probably go away but it will take months...like 9+ months sometimes.  i'm with your surgeon: this is not emergent.