Partial Detached Retina

[Kabeer1955]

My father recently was diagnosed with a partially detached retina. This came after a blow he took to the head.

He's 60 years old and saw optometrist who told him to wait 30 days and he'd see him again to see if it had gotten any better. My father who fears surgery was told surgery was an option but that it may cause long term side effects that would risk his job. He couldn't continue his career with any kind of depth perception lost or loss of eyesight. I'm not sure of all the details because I do feel like he may be holding out some of them to try to not get me to nag him.

I want to know the risks and the type of surgeries that are available to him. I guess I'm wondering what the success rate is and is it more of a risk waiting 30 days and possibly going blind from everything I've read or getting the surgery and possibly losing some type of eyesight.

Is it normal to suggest a wait that long? Any help is appreciated.

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

Total bad advise. Not surprising since optometrists are not physicians, do not go to medical school and are best left to fitting glasses and contacts.

Consider it an emergency to get in to see an ophthalmologist Eye MD tomorrow. Go to www.aao.org to find one near you.


JCH MD

[Pinks100]

Hi.  I have never heard of waiting 30 days to get better.  a retinal detachment is serious!  it could cause blindness if not treated immediately.  

PLEASE go see an optalmologist or staight to a retinal specialist.  I went to my optometrist first as well and wish I went straight to an optalmologist.  I prob woulsnt have needed a vitrectomy with gas bubble if i did.  i am recuperating from this surgery now and hope all continues to go well.  I would never go to an optometrist either for the rest of my life.  Really...all they do is check for eyeglasses, very very basic eye irritation, etc.  

Kivrin1955 is right.  Good luck!

[kivrin]

Waiting 30 days seems long to me. A detached retina is not something that is going to "get better with time." The longer a detached retina goes without treatment, the more eyesight loss is possible. There are many surgeries that can be done, some of them quite simple. Depending on where the detachment is it could be lasered or put in place with a gas bubble. I HIGHLY suggest that your dad go to an actual ophthalmologist, or a retina specialist, an optometrist does not have the kind of training for this situation. The risks to eyesight without the surgery is definitely more than with. I have had both retinas detach, and in only one have I lost any eyesight -- and really it is a smidgen of peripheral vision, nothing that impacts my job, driving, etc.