I may well be as a vitrectomy virtually is always followed by a cataract forming. Ask your eye MDs to look at your lens carefully while dilated
JCH MD
It appears to be stationary. I'm wondering if it's the beginnings of a cataract.
Others have described the same observation. If it "floats by" its in the vitreous. The red color could come from a small amount of blood.
Yes the surgery can aggravate dry eyes, allergy or can cause ongoing redness and irritation
Good point.
I've always had red eyes from allergies. The surgery could have made my eye more sensitive.The redness and dryness have been ongoing since surgery.
The tear duct (located in the inner, lower lid) drains tears OUT OF THE EYE. If your tear duct was damaged your eye would feel wet and water constantly.
I can't help wondering though. If there was no tear duct damage why does my eye keep drying out?
Thanks for your comments Chazas
I've had a detachment followed by a vitrectomy with a gas bubble and scleral buckle and another vitrectomy with ERM peel and cataract removal/IOL implantation. My last major procedure was almost 6 months ago and the operated eye is still redder and more sensitive. I have had an occasional shimmering, fan-like area in my central vision since the first surgery. I have a lot of distortion from the ERM and a significant remaining refractive error and new astigmatism. I didn't have proper contacts that address my current state until a couple of weeks ago. I still don't have proper glasses. But my contacts now give me a technical 20/20, and I'm very happy for it.
Like you, I want to know exactly what was happening at all times. But that's not possible. We do the best we can and take comfort in not losing our vision. I've learned you need to be very, very patient. Take charge of your care, get lots of opinions, but in the end even if things go well it is not likely ever to be perfect.
Best wishes.
These are the answers I think I can provide that might be helpful:
1. Pupil can be permanently dilated after retinal tear/detachment surgery. Not uncommon, several posts on this problem here. Can improve with time, may be permanent. I generally tell people if its still there 5-6 months post surgery likely to be permanent.
2. Be sure your retina surgeon has signed off on the use of pilocarpine as one of the side effects of pilocarpine is retinal tear or detachment especially with strength greater than 1%. Alphagan P does not carry the same risk of RD and often is useful.
3. The stuff you see 180 degrees away from the tear in the periphery is generally due to scar formation from laser or freezing tear (cryo-therapy)
4. Very unlikely that the tear duct was injured as its no where near where the surgery was being done.
5. If your macular OCT was normal not sure what causes the red dots that come and go.
6. Dry eyes can cause chronic redness and variable vision. Read the article on my blog on my home page about dry eyes.
7. When one eye has tear/hole/bleed/retinal detachment very high risk in fellow eye but sure its checked regular.
The injection night be for contrast used with digital retinal photography. I had that done prior to a vitrectomy/ERM peel and the imagery was very detailed when viewed on a monitor.
To update the previous post, after the optometrist quit blaming the eye drops I haven't used for months it seems the laser damaged the nerve that controls eye dilation. It should get better with time but may never be like it was. Yippee. The redness is probably due in part to dryness and allergies. I'm wondering if there was tear duct damage in surgery as well and if so what happens then? They don't seem to know what the red dot is either. There's a more involved scan where then inject me with something, but probably not worth it at this point.
I was given 2 drops for symptoms. Prednisone 1% for redness and Pilocarpine 1% for eye dilation. Pilocarpine a little scary. had my pupil down to a pinprick and lasted over a day. Any thoughts or opinions anyone?
No way to tell from your description. You need to discuss it with your retina surgery who can examine your eye. Be sure you have had a recent macula OCT
JCHMD
Thank you for your support and advice, but I would like to point out my questions have not been answered. What is the red spot I see in the morning?
Sorry to hear about your complications. I've been treated for a couple retinal tears, so I know where you are coming from. Regarding insurance and glasses -- From your remarks, I assume you have some sort of glasses coverage. If you have not already done so, consider contacting your insurance company and making the case that new glasses are medically necessary after retina surgery. Ask your retinal surgeon to provide a copy of the surgical insurance claim for documentation. It may be denied, but it is worth a try. Best wishes.