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Macular Pucker surgery...to do or not to do?
Hello everyone, I'm needing some shared experiences PLEASE.
Last week I was diagnosed with rather severe Macular Pucker in one eye. I noticed a decline in vision for several months prior, but thought I had an infection from eye makeup. Saw a retina specialist yesterday , seeing a second opinion Friday but I am expecting the same news.
The pucker is pulling on the retina and nerves a bit and has made my vision in that one eye 20/200 and no corrective lenses will help at this point. I can still see light, shapes etc. but just cannot make out letters. I can live with it like this, but the specialist says the tugging my cause more severe damage so I have nothing to loose by doing the surgery right away for the best chance of any improvment.
That is where I'm having the problem ,,,I am 56 and still lead an active life on the lake with waterskiing etc. I have never needed surgery or prescriptions and take care of myself with exercise and diet.
I do not want to enter into a lifestyle of surgeries, infections, potential real dangers with retinal detachment or reoccurance of the pucker...etc etc. Yes, I know every surgery has risks and I should just suck it up, but the fear of making the wrong decision is stressing me greatly. The Dr. cannot tell if the pucker stabilized or will cause more damage...so do I just leave "well enough alone here"??
Does anyone out there have a similar experience with Macular Pucker surgery ? I would appreciate any and all comments !
Last week I was diagnosed with rather severe Macular Pucker in one eye. I noticed a decline in vision for several months prior, but thought I had an infection from eye makeup. Saw a retina specialist yesterday , seeing a second opinion Friday but I am expecting the same news.
The pucker is pulling on the retina and nerves a bit and has made my vision in that one eye 20/200 and no corrective lenses will help at this point. I can still see light, shapes etc. but just cannot make out letters. I can live with it like this, but the specialist says the tugging my cause more severe damage so I have nothing to loose by doing the surgery right away for the best chance of any improvment.
That is where I'm having the problem ,,,I am 56 and still lead an active life on the lake with waterskiing etc. I have never needed surgery or prescriptions and take care of myself with exercise and diet.
I do not want to enter into a lifestyle of surgeries, infections, potential real dangers with retinal detachment or reoccurance of the pucker...etc etc. Yes, I know every surgery has risks and I should just suck it up, but the fear of making the wrong decision is stressing me greatly. The Dr. cannot tell if the pucker stabilized or will cause more damage...so do I just leave "well enough alone here"??
Does anyone out there have a similar experience with Macular Pucker surgery ? I would appreciate any and all comments !
Actually, this past week I had the second surgery for macullar pucker. The first was put off for a year, then the distortion was going to prevent my passing my driver's test, so I had it done. Sight improved for well over a year, to about 20/40.
This time was the other eye, minor distortion. Then one day, shortly after a steroid shot for allergies, I had major distortion. My surgeon, whom I saw every six months, got me right in after I told him the Amsler grid was suddenly grey in the middle, and snarled like fishing line. I was given Avastan shot that day, and for two month to get rid of edema and vision went fro just the E on the chart, to four lines down. Finally, I had the surgery and am in the first week right now. The second day after, distortion on the grid was both ways. By the 6th day, it was just vertical, and today (10th day), even that is milder. I do not have great vision, with grey blank spot which comes and goes, but so do the black specks which always follow. I can see the E on the chart, and sometimes a couple more lines, sometimes not
Having been through this before, I have a wait and see approach. Doc said I may need the shots again after surgery, or maybe not. I know they told me my other eye would improve for six months, but my optometrist said it continues to improve six years later. I know also that my brother in law, originally on Avistan shots for macular degeneration was legally blind, but after being put on Eylea shots this year, is at 20/40 vision! I am glad I had the vitreus removed, as I did not want retina detachment from that. It will be what it will, but there are several options out there, and I am pleased with the results in the first eye done. I will follow doc's advice, as he has earned my trust as a fine surgeon.
This time was the other eye, minor distortion. Then one day, shortly after a steroid shot for allergies, I had major distortion. My surgeon, whom I saw every six months, got me right in after I told him the Amsler grid was suddenly grey in the middle, and snarled like fishing line. I was given Avastan shot that day, and for two month to get rid of edema and vision went fro just the E on the chart, to four lines down. Finally, I had the surgery and am in the first week right now. The second day after, distortion on the grid was both ways. By the 6th day, it was just vertical, and today (10th day), even that is milder. I do not have great vision, with grey blank spot which comes and goes, but so do the black specks which always follow. I can see the E on the chart, and sometimes a couple more lines, sometimes not
Having been through this before, I have a wait and see approach. Doc said I may need the shots again after surgery, or maybe not. I know they told me my other eye would improve for six months, but my optometrist said it continues to improve six years later. I know also that my brother in law, originally on Avistan shots for macular degeneration was legally blind, but after being put on Eylea shots this year, is at 20/40 vision! I am glad I had the vitreus removed, as I did not want retina detachment from that. It will be what it will, but there are several options out there, and I am pleased with the results in the first eye done. I will follow doc's advice, as he has earned my trust as a fine surgeon.
Sorry for taking so long to answer about how long to wear the 'pinhole' eye-patch/glasses. The answer is simply as long as you like and/or can tolerate. It's just an alternative way to get a rest from the distortion and blurry vision in the bad eye. I'm scheduled for mac pucker surgery in a few weeks, thanks to all I've read in this forum. I'm at 20/200 in the bad eye and don't want to wait. Nothing to lose at this point. Odds are in my favor I will at least experience some improvement.
Went to my optometrist on 2/25 to update my lens prescription, appears that my left (affected) eye will at this time be correctable to 20/30. As somewhat expected following a vitrectomy, the early stages of cataract development have begun, but I will only need to take a watchful approach toward that for now.
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