Deatched Retinas

Posted by wdalsing2 on 4/24/2011 at 4:01 PM

Stef:

You still out there, Stef? I am starting a new DR message thread. This is it. My DR eye is still trash.
Now one year from my DR surgery. Still legally blind in that eye with two forms of a ton of distoriton. Not competely blind in that eye, though. Still wake up angry as xyz at the surgeon, even though I know it might not be his fault (but it could still be). And I am not happy that my surgical result was classified as a success because the retina stayed attached (even though the eye is useless). And the fact that my eye surgeon drives a new top-of-the line BMW. But I am happy that my good eye is still good.

IN reality, my eye was destroyed by a combination of natural deterioriation and surgical incompetence. That is history. It still helps, though, to be able to communicate with others who have been similarly devestated.

I had some acuity deterioriation, then went in and a day later had surgery and walked out of the surgery blind in one eye. Cast out to try to cope with it, on my own. And my result was classified as a success.

There are currently 5 replies

Re:Deatched Retinas

Unfortunately, I have found that the best surgeons usually have the worst bedside manner....... Mine tells me we went over all the possibilities before the surgery.... but mine was an emergency scheduled the day before, and I had never seen him until I was already under sedation after being prepped for surgery.... so if he did discuss anything with me, I sure don't remember a thing about it!

Once I went for follow-up visits, they seemed to focus on the fact that the surgery itself was a "success", and that I "could go back to work as soon as I felt like it"..... He was off dictating notes while I was trying to get across my issues & how I needed my vision heavily for my existing job.. etc. I can understand how you felt "abanadoned" much the same as I did.

But as far as the surgery being a "success" or not, I can see where he's coming from. The retina had already detached & nerves severed. Their job was to re-attach the retina, hope that vision was still on the focal point, and hope that the nerves could regenerate & return good vision. So if the retina "held", that was a good step, but not the only one - - but the one they could control. Did the doc tell you his work WOULD get you your eyesight back? That woud have been wrong. Mine never did, but I had at least HOPED it would.

Now I am in much the same situation as you. BUT... by saving the retina, he at least avoided worse problems, which might have included physical loss of the eye, etc....

Best of luck to you from one who's in a similar place....

- - Dave

Re:Deatched Retinas

DFS-AFB;

Thanks for the feedback! Your situation sounds a LOT
like mine. My Surgeon told me I could go back to work too. Mine did tell me that I could get 95% of my visual acuity back. He told me that several times. Finally I stopped going. He was no doubt happy that I stopped going. He could not do anything anyway except tell me
everything was great. I still am not 100% sure it even was a detached retina. What happened with my eye was that I needed more and more light to see well. It gradually got dimmer and dimmer. There were no flashing lights or curtains or any of the usual symptoms. It is a lonely situation. I probably should have gotten a second opinion or gone to a place with a great reputation. I should have gone to Mayo clinic. But I did not and just one eye left. Hopefully God will not take my remaining eye. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Re:Deatched Retinas

some surgeons tried something on my left eye at three and it died a painful death atrophying as we speak but I am damn proud that I am blind and happy. I don't hide my eyes or wear glasses. don't care much about recovering vision either.

Re:Deatched Retinas

Hi, my son was a preemie he was born at 30 weeks. And when he was 5 months old we took him to the opthamoligist bc we noticed he wasn't tracking. They told us he had retinal detachment in both eyes. We were so upset bc they then started accusing us of shaken baby syndrome bc of the retinal detachment & bleed in the brain. But as far as we were concern he never got his eye checked till he wus 4 months old & he wus in the hospital for a long time . . I'm just wondering if anybody has any similar stories. Thank yoou so much .

Re: Deatched Retinas

I'am sorry about the loss of vision but my detached retinas are due to explosions that occured in Viet Nam 1969 the concusion shook them loose but the surgeons reattached to now 15% I still have finger vision about five ago I developed what is know as Charles Bonet symdrone I have the eye halusinations under control but am still blind I have finger vision not total but close I red text magnified to 475% which I'am very very grateful for I spend way too much time alone and am still coping with all of the issues of blindness