Pupil dilation and scopolamine

[SteffK]

Hello!
First of all, english is not my main language, and neither is latin, but i hope you can understand me anyway :)

Nearly half a year ago i got a retina dettachment, and the first thing they tried was to put this ring around the eye, to squeeze the eye together, and hoped for the retina to attach it by itself again.

This was not enough, so they therefore used the method where they place the retina manually, and replace the 'vitreous humor' with some kind of oil, which should make a better hold/higher pressure on the retina.


So, while i was having this oil inside the eye, i needed to take Scopolamine 2 times a day.
I took this for almost 2 and a half months.

Today, it's 7 weeks since i took Scopolamine, and my eye is still dialated. It has shrunk a bit.

http://imgur.com/dXfqwPe  - It is actually a little off in the side, like in the picture.

3 weeks ago i was at the hospital/eye specialist for check, and the doctor told me it was still the medicine which made it dialated, and i should just wait for my next appointment which will be end january/first in feburary(!). (I have this appointment because im probably going to have a laser operation because of double vision)

Is this really true? When can i then expect my pupil to be normal again? Should i contact them again now, and have them to look at it again?

I hope you can help me.
Regards,
Steffen

[Sfwolfe]

Thanks for your input Dr .  
l let you know When and if that happens.  
I know that it's not always possible for all the bases to be covered when briefing a patient about what to expect and what all the various risks are to surgeries.  But it doesn't help when a person you need to trust is dismissive of the patient's concerns.  Present company excepted.  Steve

[SteffK]

You are absolutely right. But it would nice to know an estimated time, or just know if its possible for it to be damaged,  and therefore always stay dilated.

Thanks for your answer :)

[Timothy D McGarity, M.D.]

Pupil function has been noted to improve over several months.
Best wishes,
Timothy D. McGarity, Medical Doctor, Ophthalmologist

[Timothy D McGarity, M.D.]

Scopalamine can last for several days. The pupil irregularities are probably a natural side effect of surgery. It's definitely better than having a retina loosely floating around inside your eye. Right?
Best wishes,
Timothy D. McGarity, Medical Doctor, Ophthalmologist

[SteffK]

It didn't sound like there was anyone in my family who had a retina detachment before, so i might just have been really unlucky. I guess you're right that in most cases it comes with the age, OR an injury in some kind, but i just dont recall any kind of injury to my eye.

I actually (which i forgot to tell) was operated for cataract while they took the oil out, because the doctor said it had already become very blurry.

Well thank you for the talk, it answered a lot of my questions about all this.

Regards, Steffen.

[Sfwolfe]

HI again Steffk,  I've been told and have read that once you have a detachment you're considered "at risk" of another. especially if you're myopic which I am- or was before my cataract ops.though that doesn't change the shape of the eyeball.  and, if there's a famial history of it , which there is and if You're "old" which I'm not. lol.  I'm 67 now and my 1st retinal problem as at age 59 so these things don't carry an immediate risk I think. I remember my grandfather having a problem and he was about 74 or so when it happened    All the tech details aside for causing a retina to detach, It's  pretty unusual for a person as young as you to have a detachment. It's more normally something that can come as a person ages, or so I've been told.  This of course doesn't include risks from eye injury at any age I guess. I wouldn't worry about the other eye, but You may want to ask your doctor about possibility of a cataract forming in the eye you just had operated on. MY first doctor didn't mention that to me, that it is a common occurance after a eye op. I kept thinking it was something she did wrong. She hadn't. anyway,a cataract op is a piece of cake compared to the retina thingy. Don't even have to put you to sleep, in and out in a day.   I talk too much, sorry,   Don't worry about the other eye, I'm sure things'll be fine in a few more weeks.     Steve

[SteffK]

Sounds like you have been through quite a few things with both of your eyes.. How is your overall vision now?

Having retina detachment of both eyes is not good, i think its been harsh just with my one eye. Maybe because im 20 years old, and i feel like everything has just been bypassing the last 6 months, while i was dealing with this..

Anyway, my doctor told me the retina on my second eye looks good, but what did the doctor tell you when you had your retina deatachment the first time? That it was possible on the second eye too?

[Sfwolfe]

Nope, haven't heard about that  special contact lens.  May be something to look into. (no pun intended).  I had a cataract op on this eye about 2 months before the retina came loose so though my vision is good It is far from 20/20 so I'm going to get contacts for distance vision.  
In 2007 I had a retinal detachment in my other eye as well, that op came out fine but led to a "trauma" cataract forming a few months later.  That cataract doctor botched the job and I had to have a 2nd, piggyback, lens put in which works ok for close-up stuff but also magnifies everything about 2 fold, so occasional vertigo happens due to my brain trying to figure out which eye to use.  I don't think all eye surgeons are created equal if you know what I mean. I would have put off my last op if I really thought I could have.

[SteffK]

Yes, that was what i also read. That this could be something damaged in the eye, so it will stay dilated forever. And i have the same problem. My doctor also says like "we have to wait and see.."

One of the doctors also told me it was possible to get contact lenses with a fake iris. Have you heard about this?

[Sfwolfe]

Yeah, that happened ok. No more gas bubble.  The surgeon seemed to want to gloss over the pupil dilation problem. I'm getting another doctor to examine it. From what I've been able to read, I think some nerves were damaged and I'll have to live with the result. Sun glasses on bright days for sure, Bright lights leave an image in my vision, sorta like flash photos do.

[SteffK]

4-5 months? wow, that is a pretty long time. did you use some kind of pupil dilation too?

Thought gas would get absorbed by your body in ~3 weeks?

[Sfwolfe]

I also had a retinal reattachment, though with mine a gas was used, not silicone.  My pupil has not returned to "normal " size nor does it seem to react to light level changes. This since sept. of this year.  My surgeon says it may take 4 to 5 months for the eye to recover.  Really?  

[SteffK]

(Did not think about a notification probably wouldn't come up, if i didn't tag your name on the reply)

[SteffK]

Hello Timothy!

thanks for your answer. How long is 'a long time' in terms of pupil dilation?

I got the oil removed at the same time i stopped using Scopolamine. :)

[Timothy D McGarity, M.D.]

The medicine can last for a long time, but some of the pupil problems may be from the silicone oil placement…the silicone oil is holding your retina in place.

Best wishes,
Timothy D. McGarity, Medical Doctor, Ophthalmologist