post surgery care

I had emergency laser surgery yesterday for retinal tear. Was driving and suddenly developed a reddish black "spider web" in my rt. eye. Didn't get any post surgery instructions except that I would be at high risk for retinal detachment for about 2 weeks and to avoid anything strenuous including bending at waist and/or lifting anything over 10 pounds.  I don't even know what to look for if I did get a detachment. Any info would be appreciated.  I am 55 yr female.

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

WE do not give post op instructions. You are seriously under-informed. Call your surgeon's office tomorrow speak with one of his nurses and get all the information you need.

JCH MD

[AppleBr]

Hope you're doing fine.My RD case wasnt like yours so all I can tell is "insist on getting  more info from your docs." As a patient I do know its NOT easy, but you NEED those- and lots of doctors, surgeons in particular, are not exactly talkative.If you're not a kind of person that get even more scared reading med stuff on line,you can always search this place, but KEEP CONTACT with your doc!! Keep in mind all cases are different,and  people feeling quite well usualy have bettter things to do, instead of posting here.
By now, take some rest and try to find things that cause you fell calmer, any kind of (except drugs or gym, of course.Sweets are ok, if you have no diabethis ). You have to work on keep your mental sanity, and, believe everybody here knows how difficult it is...
Contact with other patients is helpful
GOOD LUCK !!!

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

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[ladypar]

i had a retinal tear 2 yrs ago in rt eye,just had another in left eye only this one was in inupper part of eye which doc says is more serious there  than lower part. im wondring why i get them as no one in family had them and we all have good eyes . i have good sight for 68. Can read a newspaper
without glasses but need them for diving slightly. not diabetic do have h/p controlled . This one effected sight but seems to be back now.
  Have to watch it another 3 weeks.

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

Retinal tears are more common in highly myopic eyes, after injury, in families with strong history of retinal detachment and due to just plain bad luck.

JCH MD

[AppleBr]

Mine was bad luck - 6 degrees and decreasing are not "That Myoph..." Well, well... Fortunatelly people in general knows nothing about RD - wish they never had to learn ...

[MichelleH]

I seem to be more serious than any of you here.  I had retinal detachments and tears in both eyes when I was 14 years old.  Fortunately I lived in Palo Alto California and received the absolute best care for retinal detachments and the doctors put 2 buckles around my eyes.  That was in 1975 and I have had excellent vision ever since except that I have had cataracts in both eyes in 2004 just due to the trauma.
Anyway last few weeks I started to see lots of floaters in my right eye and here is what is wierd, the floaters in my left eye which had been there all along started to move around a lot more and hence are more visible.  My question is, if I have a tear in my right eye, would it have any effect on what was going on in the left?  Another question, does a milky cloud signify a retinal tear?  I saw a milky cloud in one eye one morning.  I have an appt this week I am just asking these questions ahead of time.  I don't think it is possible that my retina can detach with the buckle but I do need to fix the tear, or maybe the floaters are just moving around more due to age.

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

If there is a PVD, retinal tear or RD in one eye the risk of the same problem in the other eye goes way up.

Given your history and the change you've notice you do need to see an Eye MD (hopefully the one's you're so pleased with) for a dilated retina exam.

As the eye ages and the vitreous liquifies floaters move more.

JCH MD

[shiva1961]

I had laser eye surgery for a retinal tear and in the check ups that followed two eye specialists told me that my eye was fine even though i a still seeing a decreased amount of flashes in my right eye. Are the flashes supposed to disappear completely?  

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

Its ideal if the cease completely often they don't. Discuss with your surgeons.


JCH DM