Post opp detached retina problems

[Tarachin]

Good afternoon,

I have been concerned about my right eye, have had detached retina surgery in 2002, everything seemed to be fine apart from minor headaches, eye aches and floaters until last year. I have noticed a change in my right eye, the eye is looking smaller then my left and is giving me pain when I bend down, it throbs and the pain goes from my eye toward the side of my head. My sight seems the same, though I do have a blind section at the top left section of my right eye but I feel like something is just not right. The eye is also becoming red around the area where the silicone has been placed, it is sinking in and does not look normal, almost as if it is dying off.

I went back to my eye surgeon last year and he said it is normal and that it is the silicone that is changing color but I can clearly see it is the eye that is sinking in (or dying off), not the silicone. Since then, the red sunken in area has spread and is moving around my eye. Ive also noticed that my eye is a little cloudy compared to my left eye, its not very noticeable but when comparing closely to the other eye, you can see the difference.

Ive also noticed floaters in my left eye, doctor said it was due to the right eye effecting the left, but am not sure, I need a second opinion, Ive been with my doctor for years and have trusted him all this while. I just dont want to go blind as I am a model and a painter, It would destroy my life if I lost my eyes...

Here are the exact details of the surgery:

- Right eye sterilized with diluted iodine and draped.
- Peritomy
- Recti muscles identified.
- At least two tears noted, one lager tear at 7.30 and one smaller at 8 o'clock
- Suspicious areas of peripheral retina temporally
- Cryotherapy to surround tears (slippery scleral surface)
- Encirclement with 227 trye inferno temporally and 240 band with Watke Sleeve superonasally
- 5-0 Ethibond used (difficult to get good bite of sclera tissue at right depth one to "slippery" surface) - no puncture to sclera.
- Disc perfusion checked.
- Closure with 6-0 softgut.

Im not sure if this helps, but its what the doctor wrote. Ive since moved to the US from Asia and have not bought insurance to see another doctor to get a second opinion. I pray you could give me some advice as to if my doctor made any mistakes with the surgery and what I may have to do next... I thank you so very much for your time, this means the world to me..

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

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[Tarachin]

Hi Berrywoo,

I get my eyes checked once every year unless, which was recommended by my doctor. I will surely take your advice and make sure I find out why my eye is a little cloudy.

The itchiness is becoming very irritating, I feel like I want to scrape my eye out cos it is so very itchy, but I try to not touch my eye or rub it, and that is really hard to do...

Last year, I do remember my doctor asking me if I wanted to remove the silicone to stop my eye from changing color but then I would have to go through another surgery and the risk or me going blind would increase so I decided not to...

Thank for you reply :)

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

Thanks Berrywoo

JCH MD

[berrywoo]

First off, I think you would definitely benefit from a second opinion.
Secondly, your problems are more than likely stemming from the retention of the silicone oil. The redness of the eye is probably due to the oil migrating to the front of the eye so be careful to avoid laying on your back for prolonged periods of time. Also, the cloudiness, is probably a cataract forming and is due to the vitrectomy surgery that you had as well as the oil coming in contact with the lens. Another reasoning for this may in fact be that the silicone oil is breaking up.

I do not know why the oil is still retained in the eye, because it seems that the surgery went well and there were no post-op complication that you mentioned which would necessitate long term silicone oil tamponade. So again, I strongly recommend you get a second opinion.

As far as the fellow eye goes make sure you get regular eye exams as it is at a slightly higher risk of RD (although, RD's are still not too common, unless you've got other pre-existing conditions that put you at risk).

Lastly, being blind isn't the end of the world, You can still pursue whatever you wish, you'd just have to learn how to adapt. Being blind is neither good nor bad, just different.

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

The report of how the surgery was done does not disclose any complications or deviations from an otherwise successful oepration. I suggest you use the search feature and archives to read the many discusions by people that have had RD surgery and have the same concerns and fears you do.

Perhaps JodyJ or Barrywoo might comment as they have been through this.

JCH MD