blood vessels behind the eye

[Acadian]

My father has been seeing a Ophthalmologist for the last 5months. The specialist gave pills and eye drops to relieve the pressure and did laser in my father's right eye 3 times and said the blood vessels are not corrected so he did all he could and now the only choice left is to freeze the eye and kill all the nerves. He suggested not removing the eye but just killing the nerves to relieve the pressure behind the eye.  Now he seen a second specialist due to the hospital called and cancelled my father's surgery one day prior saying this 1st specialist does not have priorty at the hospital and booked him with specialist #2.  The second specialist gave my father eye drops 4 different times per day 4 different type of eye drops and said to try this for a week and not to take the medication from the 1st specialist and come back on Friday of next week coming up.  If this does not help he suggested doing laser again and if that doesn't help either he said there is another new type of treatment that would be just giving an injection in the eye, otherwise then he would have to resort to freezing the eye and killing the nerves and then final option would be to removing the eye ball and placing a glass eye.  Looking for other opinions on my father's situation, are there any other options?  It does seem in the last couple days my father can start to see a bit again out of his right eye at least the pain is not as bad as it had been and the sun and lights are not as bright and bothering tothat eye.  Not sure what caused the blood vessels to burst behind his eye. What do you suggest and what questions can we ask the Ophthalmologist on November 16/07 when my father goes for his follow up appointment? Looking foward to hear your suggestions. Thanks. Odette

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

see above
MJK MD

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

Sounds like a possible Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO.)  First treatment step is retinal laser treatment and drops.  Next step could be cyclocryotherepy (freezing.)  If those treatments not effective and eye is blind and painful then some type of nerve block (sometimes with alcohol) can sometimes be used.  The last resort is removing the eye.  If this is an advanced case CRVO then prognosis is very poor for the eye.  In the end, I really can't be sure what condition your father has, because you didn't give me all the info.  You need to see the most qualified retinal specialist ophthalmologist in your area and they will be able to take care of everything.  THe two big questions are: 1 - is there any vision in the eye that can be saved?  2 - If the eye is blind - is the pain unbearable?  That will guide the treatment.

MJK MD