Possible vitreous/retinal detachment?

Good morning, just a brief background on myself:

Uveitis at 11 in 1995, glaucoma shortly after that, both eyes had cataracts removed due to complications. Suffered with glaucoma ever since, had a retinal detachment on my right eye in 2001. Had molteno tubes inserted in both eyes to treat glaucoma in 2003/2004. and another retinal detachment on my right eye in 2005.

Since my last retinal detachment, everything has been good, eye pressure is stable and uveitis doesn’t flare up. Luckily my vision hasn’t suffered too much due to these surgeries and complications.  

Recently though, I’ve experienced a high number of floaters in my right eye (the one with the retinal detachment problems). It first started as a round flashing circle with a dot in the middle when I would move my eye. The floaters have increased, the flashing circle with the dot in the middle is no longer visible. My vision is slightly cloudy when the floaters move around.

I’m currently travelling abroad (in Paris France) I saw a doctor 2 days ago who did a check up on my eye and also checked the back of my eye. He says there’s no detachment or tear on the retina but couldn’t explain the sudden appearance of these floaters. I’ve done my own research and a vitreous detachment sounds like the most likely cause for this problem.

I know that retinal tears/detachments are a big side effect of a vitreous detachment. So the question is… Do I stay here or do I go back home and have this looked at properly? I have general overseas health insurance but it doesn’t cover pre-existing health problems… I don’t really feel like spending thousands of $’s for a retinal surgery. And I don’t know the quality of the surgeons over here,

I also need to know whether flying with my eye in this state could accelerate the problem and make it worse?


Any professional opinion would be welcome.


Thanks  

[es98]

Assuming you are undergiong a vitreous detachment, it's still unlikely that you will have a retinal detachment.  And even if you do, it could be months from now.

As far as flying goes..  I flew for 12 hours with an active retinal detachment (in order to return to the US for emergency surgery), and the doctors told me later that flying does not make it worse.  I'd have to say that flying would not make a vitreous detachment worse either.

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

Flying is only a problem when gas (air or SF6) has been put in the eye. So no sweat there.

Second if you saw an ophthalmologist and your eye exam was okay; you're having only some new floaters but no flashes or loss of peripheral vision there is not likely grounds for you to cancel your vacation.

I suggest you call your ophthalmologist. We get calls from all over the world when our patients travel and we are always happy to give them telephone level answers.

JCH MD