Has anyone dealt with retinal detachment?

13 years ago

A week ago today, DH had a retinal detachment. He has had 3 surgeries since then and still has not regained sight in the affected eye. They had expected some improvement by now. We go back on Monday for another check and to schedule his 4th surgery. Has anyone gone through this? The poor guy is so tired of having to sleep upright. Any other time he would be able to fall asleep in the recliner in a minute, but of course he isn't able to when he has to sleep that way.

Linda

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Comments (26)

cloudy_christine
13 years ago
So sorry to hear this, Linda. I have no personal experience with retinal detachment, but after three surgeries, might it be time to head to a specialist eye hospital?
lindac
13 years ago
It's most unusual for him not to have any vision at all in that eye.
You need to get him to an opthamology clinic.
Anyone I have known who had a detached retina, either healed with just rest, or with laser surgery. But one man did have several bouts before they got it reattached for good. However he could see...even if his vision was blurry.
I sure hope you get to the bottom of this....sounds scary.
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Debbie, From personal experience as well as with my hubby I can give you the following info from my retina specialist. He is also a professor at a prestigious medical school in Boston. What your husband has is a new weakness in the retina that has caused the viscous gel to escape, hence the sudden onset of new floaters. He may not have a tear or detachment at this time, or when he saw the doctor, but the area is weak and needs to be monitored very carefully and frequently for a period of time. In my husband's case, he saw the retina specialist every 2 weeks for what was planned to be 6 weeks and was given very specific restrictions. He was not to ever bend over and put his head below his heart. He was not to get on his hands and knees to work in the garden He was not to lift anything more than 10 pounds. He was to drink extra amounts of fluids to keep the eyes hydrated as well. At the 3rd visit of the 6 weeks, he was found to have the retina area torn and immediately had surgery to repair the tear. The restrictions he had prior to the actual tear continued for 1 year and where then lifted, but he has never been able to lift anything over 50 pounds, and can not keep the head below the heart at all now. But he can do the gardening. In my case, the floaters where a sudden onset about 3 weeks after having spinal surgery. I was found to have the same thing as your husband and was monitored for quite some time. I never did develop any tears or detachment, but my floaters have never fully settled down either. They aren't any worse than they where, but not any better and it's been several years. If it where my husband and myself planning this trip and where dealing with the situation you are dealing with, we would cancel going and be safe. I understand that there is money involved with not going that you may or may not lose, but vision is more important than the trip. Even if the doctor says it is OK to go, I would still rather be safe than sorry. As for flying, I don't know how that affects the retinas or if that would or would not be a problem. Good luck Fran
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Catherinet, It is sad that we have to be so careful on line all the time. I was suspicious of both of these docs after reading the web sites. They toot their horns way to much for my liking. One would thing that if this procedure is so wonderful, far more opthamologists would be using it, and using it all the time. The costs are exhorbitant and though they claim that ins. pays for it, if you check with your ins. you will find that they don't. I checked with mine, just for fun today, and they don't pay for it with MA ins. I have BC/BS and have not restrictions on where I go for medical care in state or out, but it has to be a covered service. They told me that the Yag/NG laser is not only not covered by MA BC/BS, but no BC/BS anywhere in the country pays for it, and as far as they know, no ins does. This really peaked me, so called my sister, who lives in Florida and has BC/BS down there. No coverage, she checked with my niece who has different coverage and no coverage. My son in Kentucky doesn't have the coverage. By the time I was through checking with people I know in MA and other states, couldn't find an insurance co. that pays for it. Red flags again, as this isn't a life saving operation. One of the docs bragged that he new only 2 docs in the country that did this, and to me that was a red flag too. So unlike my spinal surgeon , who used a relatvely new method in doing my surgery. It was being done in Michigan only 5 years ago, by one doctor. This doc waited to have it perfected, then published the info in a medical journal with a request for other spinal surgeons to contact him for further info and offered to teach it. This doc divided the country into 25 sections and taught one leading spinal surgeon in each section the new procedure. He chose leading spinal surgeons who chould stay with him for 6 months to be perfected in it. My doc was the first doc to go from the new enland section. He has been doing this procedure for 4 years and is the leading teacher in the New England area for this new technique, which saves so much of the vertebrae in the spine instead of removing it. When you compare this attitude to these docs, you know for sure that something is really fishy with this laser stuff for floaters. I have always been of the thought that G-d gave us 2 eyes for a reason. If we lose the vision in one, we still have an eye to see with. Vision may not be perfect, but one can still see. Also of the thought that surgery is done as a last resort, and experimental and wacky idea surgery is only done when there is nothing else that can be done. Glasses are fine for me. Not having anything cut in my eye because of vanity not wanting to weaar glasses. I like being able to see, same for this laser stuff too. My doc told me the same thing about the floaters and also said that many times they can go back into the viscous fluid, which some of mine have done. The hydration thing really does work. I found myself with worse floaters early today and started pushing the fluids this afternoon and sure enough, they are better tonight. I had some of the vision things at night to and the extra fluids really made a difference. My eye is bloodshot some of the time and the doc told me to use refresh endura drops to help keep the eye moist, especially in the winter with the heat on. that has helped too. Give that a try and see if makes any difference. I use it 2-4 times a day and it really helps. it's not cheap, $15.99 a box. But it has individual doses in it. One thing if you start to use it, you won't use the full dose container at once, just one drop in the eye that needs it. Put the cap back on it and use the rest during the day. don't hold it overnight though. the company wants you to use it just once but the doc says no reason not to use up each individual container. Best place to buy it is Walgreens. If you buy it in quantity, I buy 10 boxes at a time, they will give you a discount on the price. Brought it down to $12.99 a box when I bought to boxes at once. Good luck and let me know if you try the refresh endura and it helps or not.
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I found out yesterday I have a Vitreous Tear in my left eye. I have been nearsighted for 46 years. I am 57 now and myopic/stigmatism. I actually was scheduling a Lasik Surgery with a local opthamologist but now this floater/light flash thing is going on. Dr saw me and said I have a tear in my Vitreous and it is bleeding as well. Sent me home with instructions (no heavy lifting, no reading and the tear may relax and heal itself) I can watch TV. He wants to see me once a week to keep an eye on the tear. This Thursday I will be at another office he said with a lazer so I imagine he want to use it on me. Does someone have a idea what he will do to me with a lazer. Aside from the drops he put in my eyes when he put this thing in my eye that rolled all around my eyeball he did nothing yesterday. He said my retina is still attached so that is a good sign. I do not like TV but love the internet but he said I cannot read. So I made a patch like a pirate wears to cover the bad eye so I can read on the internet. Hope thats ok as I am lost w/o my net. I will ask him this Thursday if it will be okay to use it. Also now I do not know if I should risk getting Lasik surgery? Whats your thots? Anyone? BTW I love that this thread is here as I find very little online about this. Laura =)
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Sometimes when my skids call the house when they are with their mother, they're out of control and ridiculously silly. She is a very loose parent and allows her children to get wild then wonders why they can't calm down or listen when she says it's time for bed. We'll get to the phone and they will make silly noises, scream or just not have a normal conversation. It goes against our opinion on how children should be raised. Etiquette is huge with us. So one day when the skids were here I told them that it bothers Daddy and I that they do that....and it is disrespectful and from now on when it happens, we're just going to hang up. Sure enough when they got back to Bio-Mom's they got on the phone and were a thousand times worse with the behavior....so I hung up. The phone rang back and it was SS. He was mad that we hung up. I explained why I did it....told him it was not very nice and that his actions didn't make me feel like he wanted to talk...so why should I talk? He stayed upset.... When he came back with us, we talked about it so that he would understand it wasn't because we didn't love him or want to talk with him. He got it..... And it never happened again. In this case, my fiance supported me 100%....And any time the kids have ever said anything off color he was on them for it immediately. Your husband is being unfair....however, he probably doesn't know what the hell to do. He's caught in the middle of his woman and his daughter-a tough place to be. And no doubt, he feels guilty...every man does on some level and that makes it hard. I know my fiance dealt with that early on-the feeling of failing his children and not giving them the "life" that children deserve. I know he is over that, but it will never truly be gone. Part of that is normal....but what is abnormal is when the person is so caught up in their own problem with things that they cannot see that someone is being mistreated. The first step is to try and work that out with him. Counseling was a lifesaver for D and I.... The tendency is for each person to protect themselves and their interests...for a divorced man with children, he protects himself and the kids... D couldn't see past himself and listen to me. The therapist was a third party who could agree or disagree which allowed him to be more open-minded hearing it from someone else. Some men are not open to seeing a therapist....some men can't change.... If you love him and truly want to be with him, but know that you cannot change his way of handling things, then you definitely have EVERY right to take matters into your own hands. And you have the right to do it ANY way you would like. If I were in your shoes and I knew it was pointless to have my husband see it my way, when I see the caller ID and it's SD, I would answer...ALWAYS!!!!! Always be the one to answer-she needs to get used to that. If there is silence, say, "SD, I know it is you, I have caller ID, I find what you are doing to be rude and disrespectful, if you are having a problem, I'm here to talk about it and want to have a better relationship with you...however if you cannot show me the respect I deserve when you call by having proper phone manners, I'm going to have to hang up on you...I will not tolerate that." If she says nothing, hang up. If she calls back and does it again, hang up. And if she keeps doing it, hang up. Hang up on her every freakin time...and if her father gives you a hard time about it, hang up on him too.......or walk away if he's at home. If he takes issue with it, tell him, "you haven't supported me, so I had no choice." I'm not sure what your relationship is like with your husband...are you happy??? Do you get along? Do you ever talk about the way his children treat you? Anyway, please realize you have every RIGHT to feel this way and to do something about it. I think you also have to understand how the children feel...but it's a two way street...and they are old enough that respect and consideration should be expected!!!!!!!
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momof2doxies
Original Author
13 years ago
There is light at the end of the tunnel this morning. He just got up and can see light. He can't really see anything specific yet, but we were told that this would be the first step to recovery if any progress were going to be made. The retinal specialist had originally given us odds of 60% that he would get any sight back because of the severity and location of the detachment. One of my favorite quotes is "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to dance in the rain." Well I am dancing this morning and it is raining outside.

Linda
caliloo
13 years ago
Fingers crossed that he is on the road to recovery! That must have been very scary indeed.

Alexa
dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
13 years ago
Sorry to hear about your DH's trouble.

I am not an expert. Just an opinion here for you to do your own research.

Methanol is highly damaging to the eye nerves. Please be careful in hangling gasoline which may have around 10% methanol in it. Don't let it soak into your skin or breath in too much of the fume.

dcarch
annie1992
13 years ago
Linda, my Grandma had a retinal detachment in her 60s. It took two surgeries and she never recovered full vision in that eye, but she did recover some. I remember her reading with her hand over one eye. Of course, she waited several days to go see the eye doc, thinking it would "go away". Yeah....

good luck to your DH.

Annie
centralcacyclist
13 years ago
My ex had this happen. It was caught early and after a couple of laser treatments I believe his vision is okay. I haven't inquired too deeply.
cloudy_christine
13 years ago
I'm glad to hear there is progress! Hoping for the best.
dedtired
13 years ago
Linda, I have no experience with this but just want to say that I hope your husband continues to improve and things go well for him. So scary to think of losing vision, but it sounds like he is on the way to regaining it.
shaun
13 years ago
Oh dear. Fingers crossed and hoping for a complete recovery!
lsr2002
13 years ago
Adding my good thoughts for his recovery. I don't know much about retinal detachment but wish him the very best.

Keep us posted.

Lee
momof2doxies
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for all the support. DH is really down tonight. He has to have the major eye surgery first thing tomorrow
morning. They just can't get the tear sealed up with the cyro surgery, so he continues to leak fluid which causes the eye pressure to go down. He found out today that he will not be allowed to go back to work until the new year.

For stress relief, I baked for 3 straight days from 7:00 in the morning until 11:00 at night. We have a lot of really happy friends and neighbors right now since they were all the recipients of the goodies.

Linda
shaun
13 years ago
Aw Linda, sorry to hear this. I'll be sending major positive thoughts to you all tomorrow. Good Luck.
foodonastump
13 years ago
Best to your husband, Linda. I can only imagine how scary and stressful this all is. Hope tomorrow brings a positive report.
triciae
13 years ago
Linda, don't know a thing about retinal detachment but I'm hoping your DH's surgery goes well tomorrow morning. I'll include him in my prayers.

/tricia
jessyf
13 years ago
(((hugs)))
sprout26
13 years ago
Oh man, anything with eyes gets my attention as I am seriously near-sighted. Doctors today can do many amazing things and have fabulous tools at their disposal. Best wishes for a good outcome.
compumom
13 years ago
I'm looking for positive news from your DH's surgery...
momof2doxies
Original Author
13 years ago
Surgery went fine this morning. DH will get to come home tomorrow morning if he has a good night. They finally found why no progress was being made. There were several small tears that they were not able to see until today when they cut open the eye. As far as regaining any sight, it is just a wait and see situation.
Thanks for the good thoughts.
Linda
compumom
13 years ago
Fingers are crossed for a full recovery!
centralcacyclist
13 years ago
Sending healing thoughts to your husband. Hugs to you as well.
coconut_nj
13 years ago
Linda, that's good that they finally found out just exactly what the problem/situation was. Sending good healing energy and hoping for a great outcome.
shaun
13 years ago
Well then! Let the recovery begin! Hope he has perfect vision after this.
cloudy_christine
13 years ago
Thank goodness they found the problem. Hoping for the best for him.
caliloo
13 years ago
Fingers crossed for a complete recovery!

Alexa
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
13 years ago
My brother while in his early thirties had both retinas detach- from a botched laser eye surgery.
6-7 years later, he is fine but does not have 20/20 vision and still wears glasses.
He also has beginning cataracts and will have glaucoma, according to the doctor. And he also has to have the pressure relieved every few months.
It was a tragic thing indeed. But he didn't go blind.

Has anyone dealt with retinal detachment?

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cloudy_christine

lindac

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