recovery from detached retina surgery

[robin6464]

On 8/21 I had surgery to re attach the retina and they also did cataract surgery at the same time.  As of 2 weeks post op I have a little of vision but is very very cloudy and not clear at all.  They used the silicone oil instead of the gas bubble this time.  Since my eye has been through 2 surgeries since 6/26, will it be months down the road before better vision comes on.  I am really getting discouraged to ever be able to see in this left eye again.  I work at a job that I am on the computer for several hours a day.  I have started back to work, but I am wearing an eye patch trying to not to stress out this eye.  Will that work?  I sure don't want to run the risk of this retina detaching again.  I would appreciate any advice or encouragement I could get.

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

Obviously no one can tell you when "its over".  You can get a second opinion.  You may draw some solace from the fact that without all this massive surgery most eyes would go totally blind and many would be painful.

JCH MD

[robin6464]

Thank you for your response.  Since I have posted this I have had yet another surgery to re-attach the retina that detached in a different area of the eye.  It even detached having the silicone oil in it.  My 3rd surgery was October 23rd and as of today I still have blurry spotted and yellowy vision and when looking at an object directly I have a grayed out area.  Friday I had a check up and there is still some slight macula edema going on. Which was suggested me to start having the injections again.  I'm really hesitant because I developed an infection in the eye which started all of this.  The infection was so bad and quick a Vitrectomy had be preformed.  When will this nightmare end....

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

These are often brutal operations with very stormy recoveries and not at all like routine cataract surgery. You can use the archives and search feature and read the many posts from people having RD/Cataract IOL surgery.

It is not possible to generalize how, or if your eye will recover. You will need to get this information from your surgeons.

JC MD