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Retinal Detachment/Cateracts/Floater Removal
I have had it all! I appreciate the use of this forum in the past and want to share my experiences and the successes I have had with a variety of eye problems/surgeries. I would be more than happy to give my layman's opinion on anyting that I have experienced. My Post:
Foresight is 20/20 (or close to it)
February 2009
In June of 1989, I came down with a severe cold and laryngitis. After the initial symptoms went away, I was left with what was diagnosed as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) which continued to affect me for many years thereafter. I continue to Klonopin and Voltaren to help me sleep and to deal with ongoing mild arthritic type pain; but otherwise CFS no longer impacts my life.
In August of 1989 after noticing a visual disturbance in my left eye, I went to see a retinal specialist several times before being diagnosed with a ‘macula on’ post vitrerous detachment retinal tear/retinal detachment. The retinal detachment was subsequently treated via a outpatient hospital based general anesthesia surgery procedure. A partial silicone sponge scleral buckle was placed in my eye along with some cryo therapy to reattach the retina. My vision quickly returned to 20/20 with while wearing my rigid gas permeable contact lenses and I had no further problems other than annoying stringy floaters in both eyes and having an area of visual disturbance/blind spot in my left eye continues to be undiagnosed after numerous tests including and MRI and seeing several eye specialists including a neuro-opthamologist. All was well for approximately 17 years.
Then in June of 2007, at age 49, as a white male high myopic (-11 diopters in rigid gas permeable contact lenses), I had developed two small ‘macula on’ retinal detachments in my left that were treated successfully in under local anesthesia in a outpatient surgery center with laser, cryo therapy, vitrectomy with a non-expanding gas air bubble. Eye surgical procedures had advanced a great deal in 17 years! Post surgery, I was unable to regain 20/20 vision however and after several more tests and seeing other specialists, including a corneal specialist, I was diagnosed with a cataract. The cataract was removed and a monofocal intraocular lens (IOL), set to achieve the best possible distance vision was implanted in my left eye in December of 2007 with me regaining 20/20 vision despite my surgeon “cheating” towards a small degree of nearsightedness given my high degree of myopia.
In May of 2007, the corneal specialist removed the small cataract in my left eye and replaced it with a similar monofocal IOL under local anesthesia as was in my right eye to help me “fuse” the vision in my eyes better. I achieved 20/30 or slightly better vision in this eye post surgery.
I then became even more annoyed by the numerous and sizeable stringy floaters in my left eye as well as the partial scleral buckle that had migrated and protruded near my tear duct area to the point that my eye lid drooped somewhat and I had to keep it moisturized with artificial tears for comfort sake. The floaters were much more annoying given that they were in only one eye, given the vitrectomy to the other eye.
On May 22, 2007, after consulting several times with my retinal specialist regarding potential risks, and given a 95% chance of no complications, he performed a ‘floater only’ vitrectomy and removed the partial scleral buckle as well without complication under general anesthesia. The risk of retinal detachment was explained to me to be reduced given that my viterous had detached from the retina for the most part years ago and that the risk of a future retinal detachments may even be reduced after 6 months of no complications post surgery as I have no longer have much viterous to tug at the retina causing a traction retinal detachment.
Five months after my last surgery I am seeing approximately 20/30 in my left eye and 20/20 in my right eye with no floaters, no contacts, no droopy eyelid and no bothersome partial scleral buckle. I pray that my eyes have no further difficulty. I have very good distance vision, good intermediate vision and very good near vision, although I am totally reading glasses dependant for near vision. For the first time in nearly 40 years am I able to not be dependent on glasses or contacts to just get around. I did obtain a pair of progressive bi-focal eyeglasses to assist me as needed with my very mild myopia (left eye only) and mild astigmatism (both eyes) and with night driving especially as I do have some glare that is minimally bothersome; but I don’t have to wear them unless I need to read up close. I hope my journey, including four eye surgeries in an 11 month time period can offer comfort and hope to someone else in a similar situation. I take a good antioxidant multivitamin daily as well as fish oil with omegas, vitamin b-6, vitamin B-12 and Folic acid for the potential risk reduction of further eye disease. I eat a low fat diet with more leafy greens, monitor my blood pressure and cholesterol/triglycerides levels, exercise regularly and protect my eyes by always wearing sunglasses outside and safety glasses if doing any mowing, edging or weed wacking or any other activity where a object might hit my eye. I encourage anyone with eye any eye disease to research their condition to the best of their ability (the internet is a full of useful material) and to write down questions and be frank with their doctors and do not settle for an answer if it does not fully answer your question specifically. I have tried to develop a “working” relationship with my doctors and truly look at them as saviors. Best of luck to all who need it.
Foresight is 20/20 (or close to it)
February 2009
In June of 1989, I came down with a severe cold and laryngitis. After the initial symptoms went away, I was left with what was diagnosed as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) which continued to affect me for many years thereafter. I continue to Klonopin and Voltaren to help me sleep and to deal with ongoing mild arthritic type pain; but otherwise CFS no longer impacts my life.
In August of 1989 after noticing a visual disturbance in my left eye, I went to see a retinal specialist several times before being diagnosed with a ‘macula on’ post vitrerous detachment retinal tear/retinal detachment. The retinal detachment was subsequently treated via a outpatient hospital based general anesthesia surgery procedure. A partial silicone sponge scleral buckle was placed in my eye along with some cryo therapy to reattach the retina. My vision quickly returned to 20/20 with while wearing my rigid gas permeable contact lenses and I had no further problems other than annoying stringy floaters in both eyes and having an area of visual disturbance/blind spot in my left eye continues to be undiagnosed after numerous tests including and MRI and seeing several eye specialists including a neuro-opthamologist. All was well for approximately 17 years.
Then in June of 2007, at age 49, as a white male high myopic (-11 diopters in rigid gas permeable contact lenses), I had developed two small ‘macula on’ retinal detachments in my left that were treated successfully in under local anesthesia in a outpatient surgery center with laser, cryo therapy, vitrectomy with a non-expanding gas air bubble. Eye surgical procedures had advanced a great deal in 17 years! Post surgery, I was unable to regain 20/20 vision however and after several more tests and seeing other specialists, including a corneal specialist, I was diagnosed with a cataract. The cataract was removed and a monofocal intraocular lens (IOL), set to achieve the best possible distance vision was implanted in my left eye in December of 2007 with me regaining 20/20 vision despite my surgeon “cheating” towards a small degree of nearsightedness given my high degree of myopia.
In May of 2007, the corneal specialist removed the small cataract in my left eye and replaced it with a similar monofocal IOL under local anesthesia as was in my right eye to help me “fuse” the vision in my eyes better. I achieved 20/30 or slightly better vision in this eye post surgery.
I then became even more annoyed by the numerous and sizeable stringy floaters in my left eye as well as the partial scleral buckle that had migrated and protruded near my tear duct area to the point that my eye lid drooped somewhat and I had to keep it moisturized with artificial tears for comfort sake. The floaters were much more annoying given that they were in only one eye, given the vitrectomy to the other eye.
On May 22, 2007, after consulting several times with my retinal specialist regarding potential risks, and given a 95% chance of no complications, he performed a ‘floater only’ vitrectomy and removed the partial scleral buckle as well without complication under general anesthesia. The risk of retinal detachment was explained to me to be reduced given that my viterous had detached from the retina for the most part years ago and that the risk of a future retinal detachments may even be reduced after 6 months of no complications post surgery as I have no longer have much viterous to tug at the retina causing a traction retinal detachment.
Five months after my last surgery I am seeing approximately 20/30 in my left eye and 20/20 in my right eye with no floaters, no contacts, no droopy eyelid and no bothersome partial scleral buckle. I pray that my eyes have no further difficulty. I have very good distance vision, good intermediate vision and very good near vision, although I am totally reading glasses dependant for near vision. For the first time in nearly 40 years am I able to not be dependent on glasses or contacts to just get around. I did obtain a pair of progressive bi-focal eyeglasses to assist me as needed with my very mild myopia (left eye only) and mild astigmatism (both eyes) and with night driving especially as I do have some glare that is minimally bothersome; but I don’t have to wear them unless I need to read up close. I hope my journey, including four eye surgeries in an 11 month time period can offer comfort and hope to someone else in a similar situation. I take a good antioxidant multivitamin daily as well as fish oil with omegas, vitamin b-6, vitamin B-12 and Folic acid for the potential risk reduction of further eye disease. I eat a low fat diet with more leafy greens, monitor my blood pressure and cholesterol/triglycerides levels, exercise regularly and protect my eyes by always wearing sunglasses outside and safety glasses if doing any mowing, edging or weed wacking or any other activity where a object might hit my eye. I encourage anyone with eye any eye disease to research their condition to the best of their ability (the internet is a full of useful material) and to write down questions and be frank with their doctors and do not settle for an answer if it does not fully answer your question specifically. I have tried to develop a “working” relationship with my doctors and truly look at them as saviors. Best of luck to all who need it.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thats for the information
JCLH MD
JCLH MD
2 Comments
got retinal re-attch also remove silicon will need caract removal on the right eye scared like crazy to loose my sight can see nothing far everything blurry and still have small floater
that type of problem is horrible to deal with and the prognosis is guarded. You need to especially do everything to protect the "good eye" regular eye MD eye exams, health lifestyle, avoid eye injury situations, no smoking, etc.
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