Sigh, anyone had a detached retina?

[perditax]

I have dry eye and have for several years, and ever since then I've had light sensitivity and "afterimages" from bright lights. But in the last two weeks I've had a new symptom happen twice: - a purple flash of light in the far left corner of my left eye. It happened once about two weeks ago, I googled it, detached retina came up as a possibility, got worried, then it never happened again and I convinced myself it was a glare off the frame of some new glasses. And forgot about it.

Unfortunately it happened again just now. No glasses, although I'm lying in the same position in bed, reading an iPad, as the first time.

Not looking for medical advice; I know I need to get to an eye doctor ASAP. I'm just wondering if anyone else reading this had had a detached retina and would be willing to describe what the onset of their symptoms was like. Unfortunately I have to apply mild pressure to my eyes daily due to the dry eye condition.

(Seriously, "get to a doctor" is not a sentence you need to type, and I don't believe the ER downtown is going to perform emergency eye surgery on a Saturday night while they're in prime drunk-driver/gang violence hours.)

 

[sonnyjane]

I have dry eye and have for several years, and ever since then I've had light sensitivity and "afterimages" from bright lights. But in the last two weeks I've had a new symptom happen twice: - a purple flash of light in the far left corner of my left eye. It happened once about two weeks ago, I googled it, detached retina came up as a possibility, got worried, then it never happened again and I convinced myself it was a glare off the frame of some new glasses. And forgot about it.

Unfortunately it happened again just now. No glasses, although I'm lying in the same position in bed, reading an iPad, as the first time.

Not looking for medical advice; I know I need to get to an eye doctor ASAP. I'm just wondering if anyone else reading this had had a detached retina and would be willing to describe what the onset of their symptoms was like. Unfortunately I have to apply mild pressure to my eyes daily due to the dry eye condition.

(Seriously, "get to a doctor" is not a sentence you need to type, and I don't believe the ER downtown is going to perform emergency eye surgery on a Saturday night while they're in prime drunk-driver/gang violence hours.)

My mom had both of hers detach. They were able to fix one but not the other, so she's legally blind in one eye. My dad just had his detach last month. The fact that both of them had this happen makes me nervous about myself.

Hers started with blurry vision and pressure...

 

[perditax]

My mom had both of hers detach. They were able to fix one but not the other, so she's legally blind in one eye. My dad just had his detach last month. The fact that both of them had this happen makes me nervous about myself.

Hers started with blurry vision and pressure...

Thanks. My vision is always blurry but that's typical with dry eye. No pressure.

I do have another risk factor, which is being extremely myopic.

Will be calling eye doc Monday morning.

This stuff always happens on weekends, heh. Same with sick pets.

 

[maxaroni]

We are king of the weekend illness/injury situations. Also, when something happens and it's not really an ER situation but perhaps an urgent care but around here, they tend to close around 8pm, the latest at 11pm.

At any rate, my mom had a detached retina and needed laser surgery. She said it was like a curtain coming down in her eye. I have had flashes happen and after images, as well as tons of floaters. I was scared and went right to the eye doctor and was told it was "Posterior vitreous detachment" which happens with age. I have astigmatism and very very nearsighted. It happened in one eye and then the other. I was told that due to being nearsighted, I had a much less chance of a detached retina.

 

[perditax]

We are king of the weekend illness/injury situations. Also, when something happens and it's not really an ER situation but perhaps an urgent care but around here, they tend to close around 8pm, the latest at 11pm.

At any rate, my mom had a detached retina and needed laser surgery. She said it was like a curtain coming down in her eye. I have had flashes happen and after images, as well as tons of floaters. I was scared and went right to the eye doctor and was told it was "Posterior vitreous detachment" which happens with age. I have astigmatism and very very nearsighted. It happened in one eye and then the other. I was told that due to being nearsighted, I had a much less chance of a detached retina.

Thank you. It actually looks more like "PVD", as you describe. I've ONLY had these two flashes, and no more floaters than normal (had them all my life). No veil/shadowing.

The only thing that I have to mention is that when I was consulting Doctor Internet, I got the impression that myopia/nearsightedness INCREASES our risk of a detachment. I'll let you know what my eye doctor says about it.

(Edit: oh, I guess I already mentioned the myopia thing and you were responding to that. Maybe one of those things where the science isn't clear yet.)

 

[OnceUponATime15]

My retina detached & I ended up needing conventional surgery to place a scleral buckle to reattach it. I waited too long, I was past being able to have it lasered. My symptoms over a period of 2 to 3 months which were always worse lying down or right after turning off the lights at bedtime included floaters - bright white resembling what you'd see in a lava lamp (leaking vitreous fluid). No flashing lights or lace or dropping curtains...
After a while I began to notice a dark shadow in the corner of my vision, which was unable to be ignored. I was seen by my optometrist who recognized the problem right away. She in turn sent me right away to an opthomologist/surgeon - who rushed me to a retinal specialist. First appointment was at 9 am, second at 11:30am then squeezed in at the Retinal specialist at 3pm --- I was operated on at 6pm that night and my retina completely detached as the Dr began the operation. The recovery was very long - two months off work with no exertion allowed, constant appointments over many, many months and laser surgery twice in that first year to seal smaller tears that cropped up.

My situation was caused by severe myopia. No other reason. Over the years I've had a few more laser procedures done in both eyes. So much easier & no recovery/down time.

 

[Bluestars]

I have never had a detached retina, but I have suffered from chronic dry eyes for two years. I went to one eye doctor who said it was normal. Then I went to another who did all kinds of tests and said I had blocked glands. He had me try lipiflow ($1600 that wasn't covered by insurance), heat treatments, fish oil, wearing an eye mask at night, blinking exercises, etc. He said that Restasis usually doesn't work for people with my condition. Fast forward a year later (a year of suffering) and I told him nothing was working. He finally prescribed Restasis and I got my life back. It is taking months, but I am almost like a normal person again. Have you been to a specialist about your dry eyes?

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

My dad has had both retinas detach. His were weakened due to multiple laser surgeries for other eye issues.

His both broke loose after being hit in the head (2 separate incidents, not both at once). The only symptom he complained about was pain in the eye.

 

[Skippy918]

My dad did. He's very near sighted too. He had the bubble procedure. In that one you have to keep your head in a certain position for 2 weeks.

 

[maxaroni]

Thank you. It actually looks more like "PVD", as you describe. I've ONLY had these two flashes, and no more floaters than normal (had them all my life). No veil/shadowing.

The only thing that I have to mention is that when I was consulting Doctor Internet, I got the impression that myopia/nearsightedness INCREASES our risk of a detachment. I'll let you know what my eye doctor says about it.

(Edit: oh, I guess I already mentioned the myopia thing and you were responding to that. Maybe one of those things where the science isn't clear yet.)

Perhaps it is my astigmatism for less of a risk of detached retina. Now you have me thinking....
I am sure that is what he said but perhaps not. Not only myopia but astigmatism has had me with glasses/contacts since age 5. My mom was far sighted, no astigmatism.

 

[RedAngie]

My mother had detached retinas in both eyes. This was back in 1979. She was complaining about a week about blurry vision and cloudiness before she finally went to her family doctor, who immediately sent her to an ophthalmologist, who immediately scheduled her for surgery the next day. One eye wasn't too bad, and was fixed with a laser. The other required invasive surgery and the buckle mentioned above.

20 years later, in 1999, the device, for lack of a better term, "unbuckled" and had to be redone.

 

[punkin]

DH's brother, mother, both maternal grandparents had detached retinas. He's been told it's a question of when, not if it happens to him. He gets checked by an opthamologist once a year and a retinal specialist once a year, so someone is looking at his retinas every 6 months. we're hoping to catch problems before an actual detachment.

 

[WVMomof3]

I had one. I never noticed any symptoms. I did notice my vision changed, I just thought, well, my vision changed. Then after a couple months of noticing my bad vision, I had a "spot" missing from my vision. Hard to describe. Went to eye dr, she sent me right away to retinal specialist and had surgery the next morning. He said it was extremely bad by the time I came in. He lectured me on if it ever happened again that I need to go see him ASAP, the problem is, I am still not sure what the first symptoms were. I do see floatys sometimes, but never noticed them being more often during that time.

 

[Jahfree1]

I had gas bubble and then heavy oil next surgery with buckle. Doc blames me for not maintaining position long enough. I think its worth pursuing next step but also wonder if its a waste of time and more pain and irritation. Any and all input welcome. Face down is worse position, practically impossible. All surgeries for this seem archaic but better than blind in only one eye god help me.

 

[brockash]

I have dry eye and have for several years, and ever since then I've had light sensitivity and "afterimages" from bright lights. But in the last two weeks I've had a new symptom happen twice: - a purple flash of light in the far left corner of my left eye. It happened once about two weeks ago, I googled it, detached retina came up as a possibility, got worried, then it never happened again and I convinced myself it was a glare off the frame of some new glasses. And forgot about it.

Unfortunately it happened again just now. No glasses, although I'm lying in the same position in bed, reading an iPad, as the first time.

Not looking for medical advice; I know I need to get to an eye doctor ASAP. I'm just wondering if anyone else reading this had had a detached retina and would be willing to describe what the onset of their symptoms was like. Unfortunately I have to apply mild pressure to my eyes daily due to the dry eye condition.

(Seriously, "get to a doctor" is not a sentence you need to type, and I don't believe the ER downtown is going to perform emergency eye surgery on a Saturday night while they're in prime drunk-driver/gang violence hours.)

My sister just rscently had surgery for a detached retina. When she described it she said she just had really blurry vision in the one eye. At first she just thought her contact was the problem, but after she took them out and it was the same she went in and was diagnosed with a detached retina. I know you know this, but my sister kinda procrastinated and the Dr. kept telling her how dangerous that was so yes please get to an eye Dr. this week

 

[Jahfree1]

Hello all

Edit and repost with questions and useful information. Please pardon spelling, grammar, errors, or missinformation.

I had the gas bubble and then heavy oil with third surgery scheduled with buckle and light oil.

Doc blames me for not maintaining position long enough. I think its worth pursuing next step but also wonder if its a waste of time and more pain and irritation. Any and all input welcome.

Face down is the worst position, practically impossible with gas bubble and if she does the buckle with light oil. Holding a tissue under the chin and to keep eyes on feet i found in my research along with one home made system in a useful blog.

It may be just the first three days or two weeks that are most important and i suspect the retina is easily displaced. I did read one expert say the position times are getting negiable.

All surgeries for this seem archaic but better than blind in only one eye god help me.

I seriously suspeceted over exposure to the sun and untreated dry eyes which seems to come up over and over in the forums as well as the importance of keeping hydrated for prevention in other eye.

My questions are:
1-Would it be better to stick with one treatment for as long as possible. This is not an exact science. Doc says go about normally but i suspect lying on my back with the heavy oil couldnt hurt. Could it reattach the the retina which is not fully attached? It is hard to see or tell through heavy oil. At least more light is getting to the retina though she took out the lens. The gas used is caustic to the lens. Plus she needed to 'access' the eye. I suspect sticking with the gas bubble for as long as pissible might have helped.

No one told us that glasses could lead to blindness!!!! I started to reduce my glasses strength and to my surprise after time the eyes adjusted! Big mistake was when my glasses broke i put on old stronger ones which i also suspect did not help matters and contributed to tear.

Im being treated in thailand and could go back to new york using medicare. 2-Can i fly with heavy oil? 2.5-Is there a best surgeon who takes medicare? 2.75-Who are the best most expereiened advanced able to correct a problem patient?

3-Are there more advanced options in the west? I cant seem to find much on this or alternatives except accupuncture, questionable supplements and even urine! I have not looked into ancient chinese medicine. Myopia is a modern problem. Refer to Bates.

4-Surgery only addresses the symptom not the cause? One doc said its possible to improve vision with a new lens but again not addressing the cause and most important is the retinal detachment.

5-If i do the buckle how can i survive and succeed at face down again? I might get a tv projector.

6: At what point is it too late to treat?

I went to rutin eye hospital in bangkok for second and third opinion. I can suggest the two most experienced docs but i am not covered there.

Sorry if this is a bit disjointed. As you all know what a life changing shock this is.

Thanks again.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I will post here, trying to be helpful....
To anyone else reading here, a detached retina, according to what I know, here in the US, is considered an emergency situation.
Any unexplained 'sparks of light', or areas of blurred vision, should be addressed with an immediate visit to your eye doctor, or the ER.
Time is of the essence.....

I will just throw in here.... I would ask your Dr., but I understand you can fly with the silicon oil, but NOT the gas bubble, because it is sensitive to the air-pressure.
The person I know who went thru this was told that they would have to cancel a trip if they went with the gas. They used the oil, as it is recommended now. But still cancelled the trip. I do not know if there are different or newer techniques or procedures here in the U.S. in comparison to other countries, that might be helpful?

The person I know, similarly to the above poster, thought it was an issue with their cataract implants, post cataract surgery. And, contacts would also seem to be something that one would think are 'blurred'. They did not get into the Dr. and scheduled for the retina surgery for like 48-72 hours... they were lucky, and had a good outcome with the re-attachment and their vision was not impaired that much. Again, they were lucky!!!!
The were told that immediate treatment was very important.

I also understand that the silicon oil is now preferred over the gas bubble, as it is shown to have better results with the detached retina.
The only thing with the silicon oil, you do have to go back and have it removed.... you can't see thru it for all of those weeks... and, they can't get every bit of out of the eye, so when the oil is stirred up in between the pupil and the retina, you can actually see it.

Yes, post surgery, yes, it is important to do the head down position, as much as possible, for a period of time. And do not sleep on your back. etc...
But, after the initial few days, I am not sure that this is a huge factor?

 

[DisLiss]

Both my MIL & my uncle had it happen to them and both described a flash of light as a symptom. And in both cases they were told by their doctors that they were right to contact the doctor immediately.

Even on a weekend most offices will give you instructions on what to do in case of an emergency---either an actual emergency number or to direct you to the ER.

I wish you luck with it.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

I woke up one morning in 2016 and couldn’t see out of the lower portion of my left eye. I called my eye doctor immediately and they got me right in. They said I had a detached retina and sent me to the Cleveland Clinic that day. I had my surgery the following day. Don’t guess about what it might be. Get to your eye doctor ASAP.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Yes go ASAP.
Most eye issues are not as time sensitive as retina.
It doesn't get better and can get significantly worse.