Retina Telangiectasia

[Cookie19814]

The prognosis for the sight in my left eye is total blindness.  I have received laser treatment and a shot of Avastin, but the sight is going.  I am to receive another shot tomorrow.  I am strongly considering stopping any further treatments.  If I choose this path, what will happen to my eye?  If, as I have been told, I will lose my sight totally in this one eye, wouldn't more treatments just delay the inevitable, besides being very costly?

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

I'm sorry but I don't know the condition of your eye.  Some diseases of the retina if not controlled can not only make the eye blind but also cause extremely painful glaucoma and the eye can even have to be removed in certain cases.  I am  not clear exactly what you have.  If you just have telangiectasias then perhaps the possible complications are not as grave as this.  If you have proliferative diabetic retinopathy, it could be more serious.  In the end, you haven't given us enough information to give a clear answer.  If you are definitely going to go blind very soon and there is no danger of losing the eye or severe pain then I suppose giving up treatment is an option that you have the right to consider,  Make sure you know all the facts about your case though.  Make sure you are seeing a board-certified retinal specialist ophthalmologist.

MJK MD

[Cookie899]

A related discussion, Retinal Telangiectasia Second opinion was started.

[Cookie19814]

Thank you for the response.  I am not diabetic, the cause for my condition could be a result of high blood pressure (although I am on medication for this), why is still a question.  Thus far my treatment was a shot of Avastin followed by laser surgery.  This resulted in some brief improvement, but this regressed.  Another round of the previous is now in the works.  I will have to wait to see what, if any improvement is realized.  The doctor is a specialis in this field and I have confidence in him.  My concern was what would happen to my eye and if I should continue with this rather expensive treatment.  The data you supplied to me provides the kind of possibilities I feared.  Again, thanks.