Vitreous haemorrhage and retina detachment: Get treatment soon

Very sorry to hear about your car accident and the problems it caused to your vision and eyes. I can not really imagine what you'r going through, but I do know about feelings of loss and anxiety caused by the pain in the eyes and the uncertainty of the outlook of having an eye condition. Would appreciate if you will update on your situation and if you want to talk please let me know.

Welcome, @johnmoses. I can imagine you are frustrated at what appears to have been an unnecessary delay that resulted in the loss of sight in your right eye. That is hard to accept.

In addition to @dutchmanmichiel's welcome and support, I think @mikepa @sue225 @imallears and @jaguar737 may have some experience to share.

John, did you have reconstructive surgery but it didn't include restoraton of your eye sight? Was the retina re-attached? What, if anything, has been proposed as next steps?

I dont think I can be of much help. I did not have a detached retina or anything that reqd surgery.

@johnmoses

First I am so sorry for the delay in getting your eye treated and I think that it should not have happened. I had a retinal detachment (right eye) in the 1980s (cause unknown). My regular ophthalmologist opened up his office on a Saturday to see me when I requested an appointment because there seemed to be a stationary floater in my right eye. He said I needed surgery immediately and called the most wonderful surgeon to get me into his office on Monday. The surgeon explained about the detachment . He said, if I wanted to get a second opinion, I should wait no longer than 2 weeks to have the procedure done or risk the possibility of losing sight in that eye permanently. I was in the hospital 2 days later. Because I acted so promptly, I had a sclera buckle done without a vitrectomy. I know things are done differently now but that surgery saved my eyesight. Forty years later after cataract surgery I developed dry age related macular degeneration which is being kept under control. I recently had a laser surgery to remove the scar tissue from the cornea in that eye which can happen anytime after cataract surgery (mine was 9 years later.)

I’ll always remember the urgency of both doctors to make a decision asap. While in the hospital I shared a room with a woman who also had a detachment. She told me the story of her brother who waited too
long after being diagnosed with a retinal detachment and the fluid started leaking out of his eye. She called 911 for him and they told her to have him lay flat on the floor and not move. They were aware of the ramifications of his condition . He eventually lost the sight in that eye.

I find it incredible that my regular ophthalmologist was so aware of the urgency and my surgeon gave me two weeks tops way back in the 1980s and your ophthalmologist wanted to do the reconstruction first. I’m not a Doctor, of course, and I don’t know if reconstruction should have been
primary . I would have thought things would be better today. My vision in that eye is not great at this point but at least I have vision. My left eye is nearly 20/20.

I can’t tell you how many times I have said prayers for these two wonderful doctors. I have a profound hearing loss and need my eyes to hear (I lip read a lot). My story turned out well and I am so sad yours did not. What happened to you seems all so unnecessary but I can’t really judge.

FL Mary

I'm so confuse and devastated right now I don't know what to do the retina surgeon said I have a giant detachment and I have wasted time it's be a month and 3weeks now I'm also scared of the risk of the surgery should I still go ahead with the surgery pls I need help

I am not a professional caregiver, but I do have experience with the anxiety and uncertainty that comes with an eye condition. What helped me a lot was to first be absolutely sure what you are dealing with. In my case I got a diagnosis but the pains and sensations were so debilitating that I could not believe the diagnosis was correct. So I got a second and third opinion. Also I went to a neurologist and that excluded other conditions so I had a clear cut diagnosis and that helped me, as I now knew absolutely what I was dealing with. It is better to fight one monster then to not to be sure what exactly you are fighting. Then I also sort of knew what to focus on, and what my options are. What is important is that the diagnosis also gave me more confidence in the doctors and their treatment proposal. This was also important: to have faith and believe the doctors. This will also help to get less stressed and more focused on the treatment. If you have to proceed with the surgery or not is something that I can not give you advise on. It depends on what the situation will be if you choose to not have the surgery. What are your options? - this must be as clear as possible. So what helped for me was the following: 1.be absolutely sure about the diagnosis. 2.have trust in the medical professionals 3.get a good idea of your options. This reduced my anxiety and uncertainty. Wishing you all the best.

@johnmoses

If I was in your shoes I would go ahead with both the reconstruction and have them reattach the retina ONLY if I knew the long term implications of not having anything done and ONLY if I had the utmost confidence in the surgeon. I think the long term implications of doing nothing should have been explained to you. Please know that I am not suggesting that option for you. You have already lost the vision as the cells have died. There are risks with every single type of surgery as there are risks with every type of drug you ingest.
We tend to dwell on these risks rightfully so and not on the possible positive outcomes.
You will get sympathy and helpful guidance here but, if you can find no one else who has ever had the same experience that you can compare yours to, then ultimately it’s up to you. We understand your anguish…please let us know you have made a decision one way or the other and be at peace with it.

FL Mary