Retina detachment surgery and following effects

[AppleBr]

Had a vitrectomy pars plana with silicone oil about one month ago.(day 9-december)
I'm using a corticoide and another eye remedy to low the eye pression thatwas growing up a little
At this moment I got some reflex lights when in places with artificial light.My doctors knows about but say nothing til this minute.Must i be worryed about?My appointment is  just next week
Any other alarm sign?
                               Tks!

[AppleBr]

Doctor Jonh, thanks for show me that you read that .Could you please add some coments about it? I hope i'm not being too much demanding,I know its quite hard to know... I just talked a little with an optamo here and he has no idea about the fact, I dont know WHEN I will met a retina specialist again , since they asked me to return there to set an appointment when all my tests are ready.(it means delay ,for sure) The private one do not reply my mails and i definitly don't have money to go there and hear him say Its all right...
Details for you and berry:
Did the test with coloured pencils - I dont have any brown shirt :-) - I can see the difference between then
Its not a total lack of vision, but I see those lights and some other things like  metalic red nail polisher and  small/medium others a lot bad , sort of yellowish,ocre... About the radio ones, the red seens to appear and disappear No problem with most of  the reds I tested - and the ones near yellow are even better to see -(probably this is the reasom big junkfood places use those colors !)Umbrellas and cars red are ok as well.
Well, thats all by now! I'will be back to check this as soon as possible.
Thank you all!

[berrywoo]

hi! Sorry to hear about your problems.
I think it might be related to the cataracts. If the clock numbers are red and the background display is black then you might be having contrast sensitivity problems. If you can see other red things but not the clock then that would definitely mean contrast problems. Can you tell the difference between two similar colors, like a black shirt and a really dark brown shirt?
Many people with cataracts have contrast problems which makes things difficult for them.
I hope you can go see the doctor soon to make sure it is just the cataract and nothing else is wrong. Maybe they will schedule you for surgery sooner since you are having more problems.
Thanks for the update. Hope the holidays were fun and take care!

[AppleBr]

Hello, friends!
Back again!! 6th month pos op. Surgeries were not set yet, it means oil and cataracts are still there. Last appointment was April 30, I didnt returned there yet cause there's only one exam  result to get before it.Public stuff is a lot slow, besides we had lots of hollidays here in my country.
Til today morning I was feeling very well, but noticed something that is making me a little worried about;
I"M NOT SEEING RED LIGHTS WITH MY DAMAGED EYE - noticed when i looked at the clock radio dial with just that eye.Normally I never do that, so I dont know since WHEN its happening but i do remember i used to watch it since the first days. Blurred, for sure, but I was.
What can be happening? Its a bad sign? Can be related to cataracts increasing?
Any other problem?
Could someone give me hints about things that show oil is causing problems?
Infos are welcome... Thanks is advance
Felling without doctors nowadays...

[AppleBr]

You're incredible... Thanks anyway! ;-)
I'll send you a private msg as soon as possible
BTW,  I never had hormonal problems til know . Nor other health problems.And except for the stress,I 'm feeling ok, in fact those tests were my sugestion, he only had asked a mamography( routine one).
I will ask my dermato what she thinks, if I can wait or is better set another gyn.Let's see...

PS Endocrinology is pretty interesting, mainly when not related to you. Loved it when I was at College.You should try... ;-)

[berrywoo]

TSH = Thyroid Stimulating Hormone.
Unfortunately, I don't know much only that too little or too much is not good. I know that a high level of TSH may mean an under-active thyroid, but more tests are needed to make sure.  Also, it is not related to your eye problems. It may cause you to be more depressed, have high cholesterol, and other problems. But first you need more tests. You should try looking up some info on the internet.

I think the oil removal and cataract surgery can be done together, but it depends on so many things.

For me the left eye had lens removal/IOL implant and retinal repair surgery all at the same time. My right eye I have not gotten an IOL yet, because my doctor wants to make sure that the retina will remain attached.

Hopefully, things will get better!

[AppleBr]

As you can see  my mood is a lot "shaken" again... Maybe now I can blame the hormones instead ... Tks!

[AppleBr]

|Sorry, had a technical problem. As I was writing, got some hormone results - and I DO tried discuss it in the aproppriate forum.Its posted there but without answers
Fact is estradiol,LH and FSH are ok, but TSH is a lot high 7.28mui/ml Normal rate : 027 to 4,20.My gyn is on vacation and didnt reply my msg.
Any info about is welcome. Can be related to stress or the eye drops I used? Needs fast care?

[AppleBr]

Hi!
Almost no news about the eye, she only asked me to return 20 may for a "Biometria"
Asked some basic pre-op tests as well and said they do the oil and the cataracts together - in fact it always was my surgeon idea but now I dont know if he 'll be there, be in a School Hospital is a lot messy,you have troubles even to discover who is already a doctor and not waste your time  by asking students, all of then kind but knowing as much as you, if so .
One day before that
aaaappointment I got the results of some blood tests

[AppleBr]

News of the front.
Going to my 5 month  post op-(9 april ).My appointment will be next week, day 30 - it means by these days I 'll be feeling Everything - from a little pain on that eye to toothaches headaches and back aches. The same brain that is able to ignore floaters is also able to have lots of phisical reactions to stress,you know..
Well, at least my dermato said I"m OK - in her field,of course! Its good to hear anyway -  love her!! Blind AND ugly is too much,i guess
She said was not seing the cataracts - not that i was expecting that she was :-)
I wanna know if someone here had a better vision after the oil removal,cause I dont fell like its bothering me and the things could be better without.I KNOW IT HAS TO BE.REMOVED
By this moment I can read big letters,far away, but nothing near me and this is very strange for someone once myopic used to bring things closer to read ,sucessfully even with the smaller ones.
Is that the way thing work?



.

[AppleBr]

Thanks! Hope your vision get better soon!
Good luck, "forever and ever, Amen " :-)

[berrywoo]

It's nice to hear that things are going well for you. I'll keep my post short as my vision is still pretty bad with the c3f8 gas bubble.
The slight pain/itching may be from dry eyes as I mentioned before.
I would wait until your next appointment to ask about new glasses.
Good luck on the job search.  :)  

[Lefteye625]

Oh, and I am going to (hopefully) my last appointmant for a loooong time on March 18th.  I really hope to get a new prescription for glasses at that time.  I have had 2 appts prior to this where the Dr said I may, but each time I had to have a shot for swelling, so the vision was still not stabilized.   So unless you are rich, I would not yet invest in new lenses!

[Lefteye625]

I had RD back in August, have gone thru surgery with gas bubble and scleral buckle, then it detached again (end of Sept) that time with silicone oil, then removal of silicone & cataract end of November.  I didn't drive or work from August till December.  It really had a psychological effect on me!  Talk about moody! I was uncomfortable in my own skin, and really only felt ok staying in my bedroom.  When would go to the grocery store with my boyfriend I was so uncomfortable and fearful!  I didn't want to even go anywhere!  Well, now we are 3 months past the last surgery, and I am back to normal!  The vision is of course not perfect, but very manageable.  I still have fear of it detaching again, or happening to the other eye, because I just feel like I couldn't bear to go through all that agin!  This forum helped me so much, both educationally, and emotionally.  Just to listen to people who truly understood what it felt like!  Friends and family can try to be supportive and understanding, but they can't really understand the emotional upheaval!

[AppleBr]

Recent News:
Well, not so recent, but...I'm going to my 3rd month pos-op and my new appointment is set for April 30. Apparently things are all fine - I do hope so!
The floaters are not that bad (THANK GOODNESS !) but I've been feeling itching ocasionally - both sides, just like that little pain (that is almost absente now, since I'm reading less). Is this aching related to cicatrization ? Any other reason possible?
Its worth get new lenses by now? - dont worry, I'm NOT DRIVING.Just studying and trying to get a job - again :-)

[berrywoo]

Pain may be from laser or from dry eyes. Get a bottle of lágrimas artificiales (artificial tears) and see if they help.
"weekend fears" I've had them, because for a while it seemed like all my detachments happened on a Saturday or Sunday. In fact the first four surgeries for my right eye were done on a weekend!!! So I can understand you being afraid or more anxious during the weekends.
Hope this weekend goes by well for you.

[AppleBr]

Hi,evrybody
At this moment,  my mood is quite better.Not sure if is this related with leaving the timolol since my last appointment, (about 2/3 weeks ago) , my doc said the eye pression was ok.But i'm slightly tending to associate both things... Does anybody here had those pysicological  side effects to that eye drop as "weekends fears " or so?
'Bout the eyes, at this moment I feel a slight occasional pain.It was only on the operated eye, them I did laser in both - and now it happens both sides.. Not really worried about cause they are more commom after spending a long time reading - maybe is just that I'm "abusing " of them without corretive lenses;
Fist time I get  really worried- i was still using the eye-drop- cos a havent had no pain at all til that moment, nor even  the day after the surgery.I know my limiar of pain is hight.
Doc said nothing , just did those laser I mentioned...
Any comments about ???

[matt_ret_d_vitrectomy]

I agree with you on the mood changes after RD.  It really caught me off guard.  
Recognition is the first step to a cure.

I'm sure the eyeMD's sympathize, but they aren't really the Dr's who can help with the mood effect.

I think having one's vision suddenly degrade from an RD or other trauma or eye illness must be as emotionally traumatic as many things, like getting cancer.  Suddenly your vision is at risk, and warrants your attention for the rest of your life.

Maybe there's a specialty in psychology/psychiatry/counseling that eyeMD's can refer eye patients to.  (here's hoping the eyeMD's take up this suggestion  :-)  )

[AppleBr]

I'll keep doing the search.Thanks for the info.My retina specialist doctor is not always available at the clinic or even available for callings, The doc. I have more contact with is a really cool guy , but that is not his "strong point"
As you know, RD patients' mood changes a lot, depending on almost everything. When I' m UP I ask my doctors lots of things but sometimes I'm too much down and worried about money and I just forget (btw, yes I take a list to the appointment - when I'm not down!).
On the road,anyway...

[berrywoo]

Post-op for oil removal does not involve positioning, unless after removal a gas bubble is inserted. Activity restrictions aren't really necessary post-oil removal. However, there will be restrictions after cataract surgery. If you're retina detaches again post-op instructions will vary depending on a variety of factors.
Traction may cause the retina to detach, the chance of this happening depends on how much scar tissue there is and where the scar tissue is located.
Do a search of the forums if you'd like more info. I've posted plenty about retinal detachments.  

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

You can always call his office and ask the staff. Better than sitting at home worrying.

JCH MD

[AppleBr]

1-Eye dop Maleato de timolol 0.5% twice a day since day 9.How many days it took to produce effects?(low the eye pression)
2-How is the pos-op for my future surgeries? Do I will have to keep doing those specific position again?
3- My doc said the reflex is caused by traction.Is this bad?
4- Any other info I should know?
                                                  Thank you all !
                                                                           AppleBr

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

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[AppleBr]

Keep seeing the thing . Was some change  expected? My mood is a lot down today.I will see doc again next week...(he is there once a week -and he is not exacly a talkative person)
Thank you very much again!! Luck is always important!!

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

Good luck.
JCH MD