retina detachment

[patricia61]

Hello doctor

I posted on the other forum yesterday about yoga, and thought I would let you know a few more specifics of my case. I last had a retinal exam by an opthalmologist a year ago and everything was fine except for a small peripheral scar that she said many people had and it needed no treatment.

I have MANY floaters in both eyes, but more in the left, and I THINK the doctor may have said I had already experienced either a PVD in both eyes or the gel had liquified

Anyway, recently I have been under a bit of stress (hence the yoga!) and I have noticed spots in my vision and all sorts of other strange things, including a line in the outside corner of my vision. It sounded a little like what the gentleman was posting about yesterday.

So, in a nutshell, I started being concerned that maybe the yoga was causing my eye problems, or was it the stress? or was it neither? and i got awfully confused about whether i should stop the yoga or not ...

If this eye problem persists, I will go to the optometrist for a referral to an eye doctor. There isn't one in my town - the nearest is 40 miles away. But i thought I would run it by this forum first.

Thank you
Patricia

[John C Hagan]

I don't think yoga is causing your problems and I would not stop the exercises. I would avoid standing on the head. Other head down positions (down dog) are fine. Stress will not damage your eyes.

As a way to reduce your eye concerns I would suggest you make an appointment directly with the ophthalmologist down the road 40 miles. Optometrists often don't like to refer to ophthalmologists, especially those near-by that they consider competitors. Plus you wouuld have to pay the cost of the optometric exam. Plus they often refer to ophthalmologists they have financial entanglements with (misleadingly called "co-management').

If you have health insurance check with your personal physician if you need a physician referral to see a specialist. If so give your physician a list of your symptoms and ask for a referral to the ophthalmologist down the road (or one your family doctor uses). Doing this the Eye Physician examination may be covered by your health insurance. If you do not need a physician referal to see a specialist then call the ophthalmologist and set up the appointment yourself.

Hope your stress abates.

JCH MD Eye Physician & Surgeon

[patricia61]

Wow, thank you so much. I don't know why I was under the I was under the impression I needed to see an optometrist in order to see an opthalmologist.

OK, off to yoga now!