Best retina specialist in Michigan

Hello Doctor, I have 2 questions:

- I live in Southeast Michigan and I was wondering if you could recommend a good retina specialist.

- Is exercise harmful to retina? I use both the elliptical machine and the treadmill for cardiovascular exercise. My question is should I avoid high speeds on the treadmill? I currently run at 7.5 mi/hr for 1/2 hr then use the elliptical for another 1/2 hr. I go through this routine 3-4 times a week. I also walk an hour every day. Moreover, I lift weights ONLY ONCE a week. The weight lifting session takes about 45 minutes and the weights involved are reasonable (nothing too heavy).

I began this exercise regimen about a year ago along with healthy balanced diet (after being completely sedentary and obese for most of my life). My BMI dropped from 30 to 25 and I'm still losing weight and I like the results so much BUT if this current exercise routine I'm following is harmful for my retina then I'll stop. (I'm 30 years old, severely myopic (-9.5, -11.5), had a retina detachment 11 years ago in one eye and a buckle was used, and both eyes were extensively treated with laser too).

Thank you so much.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Hello Myopic (For several years I had an 'ego' Missouri license that was 'myopic').

Sorry, I do not know any retina specialists in SE Michigan. You might ask your personal physician or check with the state medical association.

Exercise is not harmful to the eye, it's actually good for the eyes just like the heart and lungs. Runners or swimmers do not have higher rates of eye problems and specifically no higher rates of retinal detachments than non-athletes. One exception is an increased rate of retinal detachments in boxers.

So exercise away. You might consider not doing yoga like exercises where you stand on your head and avoid theme park rides like roller coasters and other thrill rides that jerk the head violently around or place the head under high gravitational forces ('pulling G's).

JCH MD Eye Physician & Surgeon    (ophthalmologist = Eye MD)

[JodieJ]

Castle-Connolly lists three retina specialists in your area as being among America's top doctors.  They are:  Dr. Gary Abrams in Detroit, Dr. Michael Trese in Royal Oak (suburban Detroit), and Dr. Andrew Vine in Ann Arbor.  You can check the website www.castleconnolly.com to see the criteria used for inclusion in their listings.  Basically, their doctors have been nominated by their peers.  I know such listings are controversial, but I've had three successful eye surgeries with docs I found using their directory.  (You get more info about these doctors at the website for a nominal fee or for free in the Castle-Connolly directories at a public library.)  

[myopic]

thanks a lot.. you're very kind.

[sepi08]

Hello doctor,

I had a detached retina and multiple surgeries but I was not able to obtain usable vision.  Is it possible to surgically detach the retina and then re-attach it to obtain usable vision?  

Thanks,

sepi08

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Hello sep08. You would need to consult another  retina specialist to look in your eye to see if anything else might be done. In spite of all our advances retinal detachment sometimes end in blindness or very poor vision in spite of the most skilled attempts to fix the problem. Also the retina can be attached and not regain good vision. You can go to www.aao.org and us the Find An Eye MD feature to locate a retina surgeon in your area.

JCH III MD Eye MD

[sepi08]

Thanks doctor.  I know my question was a shot in the dark, but it never hurts to ask.

Sepi08

[mam3]

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