There is an online community of 1,493 retinal detachment
patients at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/detached-retina/. I emphasize "patients" because there are no eye-care professionals in the group. If my cataract surgeon had been reading the group, he might have shown me "
Catmaster's" recent post stating:
My second RD looks just like the photo (below). While the first RD stayed, the second would disappear. I was hoping it was an artifact from the cataract surgery, but it was not.
His second RD was like mine -- a sub-second black spot. Had I read it, my detachment would have been detected at least a week before it was -- before the fleeting shadow became a permanent blotch. Perhaps I could have avoided the
scleral buckle. Perhaps I could have avoided the
vitrectomy. Perhaps there would have been less retinal damage. Perhaps the odds of a recurrence would have been lower.
5 comments:
Dad, does your vision look like the picture on the right? Also did the little white floaters go away?
The whole thing started with a black region, similar to the photo, that would appear, as he said, for a split second then disappear. I thought maybe I was seeing fleeting
glimpses of my nose. I mentioned that to the cataract surgeon, but he blew it off. The next day I was back with a permanent blotch (grayish) and went in for my first surgery.
The little white swarming dots are still there. They do not seem like my old floaters -- they move randomly like particle traces in a cloud chamber then seem to disappear. The retina surgeon does not seem worried by them, so I won't worry either.
These photos with alterations are very good. It's good to be able to show people what it looks like who have never had a RD.
This has been an awesome blog. I just had retinal detachment 5 days ago (vision looked just like the images, although my detachment was at the top of my vision affecting the bottom of my vision). Reading many of the online forums I was initially in disarray with all the horror stories - no matter where I looked I couldn't find anything positive (which didn't seem right!). Anyway, I'm 28 years old and incredibly active (played water polo in college, lift and play hoops every day, and currently involved on the triathlon circuit). My experience so far (5 days) has been extremely positive.
I had pheumatic retinopexy and the results so far seem good - my vision is a bit blurry (may need a slightly stronger contact but nothing major it appears - and i hope), my eyelid; which initially a bit droopy, is just about back to normal, and my second post-op check in said things look to be healing good (although i'm not out of the woods).
I want to say thanks to you for writing this blog, i was able to relate to your experience but also helped me take a much more positive outlook to things. Personally, I stopped reading the forums because I felt there nothing really positive coming from them, only complaints and horror stories. You figure that people are more likely to right about a negative experience than a positive one...this seems to be true.
Anyway, my dad also had a detached retina about a year ago and had the same procedure. His vision actually improved after the surgery. Who knows how that happens. Anyway, worst part is sleeping face down and having to take it easy. Hope you recovery continues and keep it up.
> I want to say thanks to you for writing this blog
Dan,
That makes it worth the effort!
It is good to hear an optimistic report. I am working out as hard as ever, and am signed up for a (sprint) triathlon at the end of September.
Larry
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