retinal disease

[gordizuy]

i had an eye exam today and the doctor told me I have holes in my retina in both eyes he said i have a lot of holes and that i need surgery (laser surgery) ... i'm 23 years old my vision is really poor im -4.25 and -4.75 ...i want to know if i need that surgery and whats the name for that he said it but i dont remember....i want to search for more information about it
thank you

[AnnaE]

Can you say anything about thte fact that my doctor never told me where the train stopped? Anything? I am trying to get the picture. I do not understand. I want to understand, more than anything.

I know that what you say is right. I am going to get safety goggles/glasses. I just need to try everything for my eye. And I need all the support/helpful feedback that I can get.
Do you think that laser trabecular sclerosis is a dead end? I read about Dr. Ciulla's work and he told me that I could check it out with a local glaucoma specialist. Doctor #2 told me it was OK to check on it.

I want to see Dr. Lambert because I want to be sure of what happened to my eye. Since my doctor #1 never gave me an explanation, I feel that I do not know. I have thought of asking him for a narrative; I meant to ask him this at the last visit, but there was no opportunity.

I believe that if I asked him for a narrative, he would decline. I have read all my hospital records and office records. But he made only a few notes. The records maily consist of forms filled out by the assistants.

If this happened to one of your loved ones, and they felt distress at not knowing, how would you advise them to find out for sure what was the cause?

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

I am sorry but I cannot help you. I do not know of anyone doing experimental treatment of hypotony. What I can say is that you must do everything you can to protect your remaining eye. That would mean being followed by a retina specialist the rest of your life and probably never going longer than 6 months without having the good one checked.

I hope you find someone that can help you but the picture you paint is bleak.

JCH III MD

[AnnaE]

Sorry, but I must take this opportunity to ask you another question.

I have had five eye surgeries in 9 months. I have little vision remaining ft in my left eye.
I have proliferative retinopathy, aphakia, and hypotony. I do not know if my eye can be saved.

I was in serious shock the first 7-8 months, because this is such a profound loss. My first doctor, who did the first 4 surgeries, never told me what my condition was, nor how he decided to take out my lens, nor what the consequences of the hypotony could be (loss of eye). He told me almost nothing, except when I needed surgery. I was not allowed to read for the first four months. I started reading, and I was so depressed about what I read, but I finally figured out where I could be heading. But since my doctor never told me anything, I was not sure.

I finally asked him the last time I saw him. I was appalled that he told me that the chances were 40% that I could lose my eye. He told me that I could lose a great deal of vision, if not my eye.

I saw two other doctors, one for a second opinion, and the other because my doctor was out. The second opinion one said that My eye could not be saved and that he would not perform even a third surgery on me. He also told me that glass eyes did not move. The substitute doc blurted out that I could have my eye taken out, or get a glass eye. I did not even ask him. I saw him about the other eye. He was a total flake, I figured.

Needless to say, these two retina docs spooked me into fresh denial.

BTW, all my docs are retina specialists, except for the ophthalmologists who should have seen this coming (multiple high risk factors) but never referred me, even though I had multiple high risk factors,  flashing light for three years, and heavy floaters all my life. They never mentioned PVD, either.

My question is, do you have any helpful, enlightening, or comforting comment on the retinologist who told me almost nothing? I am working with an associate of his now, and Doc #2 has already confirmed for me that my sight will never get better.

I am also looking for experimental treatments for the hypotony, in hopes of saving my eye. I have already tried ibopamine. Next, I will look into laser trabecular sclerosis next.
Any knowledge of another direction I could go, to perhaps save my eye?

I feel like I am falling off a very tall building. I miss Doc#1, but I do not understand his behavior. A very hurtful remark from him caused me to switch docs and also, in brief, he would not/could not communicate.

Do you know someone I should consult with at this point? I am in Texas, and I am thinking of Dr. Michael Lambert in Houston.

Thanks

[AnnaE]

Do you mean that holes are not always treated?

BTW. My daughter had two detached retinas at 18. She had no symptoms; the problem was discovered during a routine exam.

[retinadoc]

Hi:  I happen to be a retinal specialist with 25 years experience.  It's quite rare that treatment of holes is recommended in a young asymptomatic patient such as you.  Make sure you get the opinion of at least one retinal specialist before you proceed.

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

If you want get a second opinion from another Eye MD. Find one at www.aao.org

JCH III MD