Should I seek a second opinion?

[jax1953]

I recently began seeing a large spider web-like floater in my right eye (which has now broken up and is not bothering me), as well as occasional flashes in my peripheral vision, usually at night.  I had cataract surgeries 7 months ago, which went well, no complications.  I was told to watch for both floaters & flashes, so I immediately went to my opthamologist for a thorough dilated eye exam when this started.  Many tests were done and pictures taken, along with a magnifying lens put directly on my eye.  After all this, my doctor said he was 99% sure there were no tears in the retina.  While relieved on hearing this, I am also worried if I'm really ok, since the flashes and small pieces or the floater are still there.  He gave me a pamphlet which explains that many people do experience both floaters and flashes as the vitreous rubs against and tugs on the retina while it's shrinking, without having any actual damage to the retina.  But I am wondering if I should seek a second opinion, perhaps with a retina specialist, or if this would be an unnecessary expense since I've already been examined (I'm not sure if a retina specialist's exam is any different from or more thorough than an opthamologist's).  If anyone knows about this, or if anyone has experienced something similar to my situation, I would really like to hear from you.  Most of the posts I've seen are from people who have had tears or detachments; I haven't been able to find any from people who are experiencing symptoms, but no tears or detachments showing up on an exam.   Thank you.

[MrPresley]

The retina specialist I see every six months now is an ophthalomogist who specializes exclusively in vitreoretinal conditions.  Similarly, my cataract surgeon was an ophthalmologist who specializes in lasik and cataracts.  The two did not and and indicated they would not cross over into the other's area of expertise.  

[JohnHaganMD]

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[jax1953]

Thank you both for your replies, and I apologize for my confusion. My opthamologist, like Mr. Presley's former opthamologist, specializes in lasik and cataracts. He told me if my symptoms worsened that he would refer me to a retina specialist.  This is why I thought they were two different types of doctors, as opposed to specializing in different areas of expertise.

[JohnHaganMD]

My suggestion would be to ask your cataract/lasik Eye MD to refer you to a retina specialist for an exam of the back of your eye using special instruments and techniques.

[MrPresley]

It sounds like you had a thorough exam, and it's entirely possible that the vitreous is tugging on your retina without actually detaching it.  My right eye is in that situation, and it has some floaters but no flashes like you describe.  Personally though, if I had any unease about it I would go ahead and see a retinal specialist.

[jax1953]

Thank you. I am perhaps being overly cautious, since I am just learning about the retina issues one might face. Oh, the joys of aging.... By chance, have you had exams from both an opthamologist and a retina specialist? I am wondering if they're different or pretty much the same procedure.

[JohnHaganMD]

a retina specialist is an ophthalmologist. The difference is she/he take one or two extra years to just study retina and limits there practice to only retina/vitreous/macula