Retinal Tear Laser Surgery

[angiecapaldi]

I just had Retinal Laser surgery in both eyes. I was given numbing drops in both eyes as well as an injection of numbing meds.  Certain areas of my eye during treatment were absolutely unbearable. My Dr. said in so many words I was crazy as "there are no nerve receptors in the eye".  We actually argued about it because he simply didn't believe I truly had any pain. As the procedure continued, he lowered the power/strength on the laser, I noticed it completely lessoned the pain.  Unfortunately, this occurred at the end of the treatment.  Is there a reason why the Dr. wouldn't have lowered the laser strength from the beginning if I was in so much discomfort?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

That is something you would have to ask the surgeon.  Ask also "if the eye has no nerve receptors which did you use numbing eye drops and injections"    Especially with treating a retinal tear which does not require much laser power, most surgeons would immediately turned the power down.

[angiecapaldi]

I can't even count the number of numbing drops he put in my eyes.  I also received an injection.  My Dr. told me there are no nerve receptors in the eye.  I was in agony.  Is it fair to say that once he turned down the laser intensity during the last 3 zaps and I could tolerate it ; he should have done this all along?  I must admit, it was by far the very worse experience of my life.

[angiecapaldi]

Additionally, I noticed the laser setting what at 200 - is this normal or too high for as I was in pain.

[angiecapaldi]

Also, I had tears in the right eye, and a detachment and tear in the left eye.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

What would generally be done is to immediately lower the power of the laser to make it less painful.  There is a certain minimum power that is necessary to create scar to seal the retinal hold, since he turned the power down and did that last ones at the lower power, no reason why he could not have reduced the power immediately.