I apologize for the long post, but it's hard to summarize my experience in a few words! I lost the vision in my right eye suddenly last November and was diagnosed with a tractional retinal detachment and lattice degeneration in both eyes. I had a TPPV with scheral buckle and gas bubble inserted to treat the detachment as soon as it was diagnosed. I had laser surgery on the left eye at the same time; the TPPV was followed up with laser surgery a few weeks later in the right eye.
My retina started to detach again due to scar tissue building up, so I had another TPPV in January with silicone oil inserted at that time. By this time, I had developed proliferative vitreoretinopathy. (I am in my mid-40s and have diabetes in my family but have never had any blood sugar problems.) This too was followed up with laser surgery a few weeks later.
In April, I had another TPPV with a membrane peel due to more traction, which was followed by more laser surgery a few weeks later. I then developed a macular pucker, and the scar tissue was back, so I had another TPPV in August to remove the traction and the macular pucker. Each time, the silicone oil has been reinserted, and I have been told that I may have to have the silicone oil in for a very long time, possibly for life. I now have a very dense cataract in that eye, and my pupil has never stopped being dilated. I have light sensitivity to the point where I need sunglasses inside, especially around fluorescent lights, as well as daily headaches and chronic eye pain.
I am now two and a half weeks post-surgery on the fourth TPPV (seventh surgery altogether in that eye in the last nine months). I have some light and movement in the peripheral vision on the right side of the right eye. My questions are: is it normal to have this many eye surgeries in less than a year? Is it normal to have chronic eye pain after this many surgeries, and will this eventually go away? (This is the type of pain that over-the-counter medications do not always relieve.) Would removing the cataract help to restore any of the central vision? Does this run in families? (My sister had a retinal detachment several years ago, and my aunt has had vitreous hemorrhages.) Will my eye ever stop being dilated?
Thanks for any insight you can offer.
Kris