Light flashes after scleral buckle operation

[jcheriep]

7 weeks ago my 36-year-old husband experienced a tear in his retina (at 11 o'clock) and some detaching as a result of being hit in the eye. 4 days later he received a session of laser around the tear. The following day a retina specialist did another session of laser around the entire retina. My husband was still for 2 weeks and the laser stopped the detaching. However, a thin black area remained in his vision at the bottom of his eye, resulting from the retinal tear. During this time he noticed a flash of light every now and then across his eye, like the light from a photocopy machine.

3 days ago, he had a scleral buckle done to repair the retinal tear. Initially the dr. was only going to do a partial buckling but it didn't work so he did a 360 degrees buckling. Frozen gas was inserted in the eye to re-attach the retina. He's in the waiting period. He'll see the dr. again tomorrow.

He noticed the flash of light like the photocopy machine again today. Does that flash of light mean that the re-attaching did not work or is it too early to tell?

[donmoi]

Hey, I just went through detached retina surgery twice in 2 weeks. The first time it didn't work, I had a migraine and the next day another tear. The doctor said if it wasn't for the laser from the first surgery it would have been so much worse the second time. The second surgery they put the buckle around and I have been in a lot of pain ever since. It has been 3 weeks and every time I do anything like reading under a bright light or move around to much the pain is unbearable. I also had bleeding for a few days which I called the doctor he said it was normal just the muscles trying to re position themselves. I also got no pain meds. But my sister got the same surgery ( detached retina is genetic) and she is having no issues at all! No pain or discomfort and healing very quickly. So everyone is different.
I also have the white lights still and my aunt said when she had her surgery ( again its genetic) that she was seeing the light for up to a year after surgery.  

[jcheriep]

Thanks for responding. We talked to our doctor on Monday and he said that he wasn't surprised, that sometimes the flashes happen. He's aware. We also mentioned that my husband experienced some pain at home after the operation. He didn't give us anything specific for pain. I mentioned that I was giving him ibuprofen and the doctor said that should help.

Tonight, 5 days after the operation, he woke up in a lot of pain. Of couse, we'd waited more than 8 hours since the last dose and the pain had increased greatly. My husband hasn't wanted to take anything regularly, only when he experiences pain.

My question is how many days after an operation should he experience pain? We don't have another appointment with the doctor for 2 weeks because he said that the eye looks good. We may try to go back to see him at the emergency room where he works tomorrow.

Any thoughts?

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

Flashes of light means there is still traction on the retinal and a possibility of a new retinal tear.

You should follow up with you surgeon.

Dr. O.

[kivrin]

Not that I am a doctor ...

If they did a vitrectomy, the flashes of light at this point shouldn't be an issue ..

Flashes of light occur when the vitreous (the jelly in your eye) pulls on the retina. This of course can lead to a retinal tear or detachment.

In any case, I would call the surgeon and report the symptom. Being safe is so much better than being sorry!

I just had the same thing (although all in one shot, not the weeks of treatment) 360 buckle with an extra piece under, laser, gas bubble, complete vitrectomy) May 4. The good news for me is that I am healing very well. BUT I called the surgeon's office at least every day, sometimes twice, to ask things, verify that I remembered something correctly. Don't fear bugging the doctor (although don't call at 2am unless its really an emergency!).

CMD