Retina Detachment

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fountainhall

Retina Detachment

Post by fountainhall »

This appeared on the thread about Going to Church.
RichLB wrote:If you really want to see a light show try experiencing a torn retina - you get flashes, wiggly bright lights, and other things that last until the tear is repaired.
I once had a detached retina and experienced these white flashes. I had no idea what was happening until I had my eyes checked about 3 weeks later. Especially for those who have worn spectacles to correct long-distance vision since childhood, it is recommended that you get a simple retina check around age 50 or so, because such correction can lead to deterioration at the sides of the retina and make a tear more likely. Reattachment is now a much simpler than before and no longer requires general anaesthetic.
RichLB
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Re: Retina Detachment

Post by RichLB »

I had a tear in my retina once the day before I was scheduled to leave on the plane for Thailand (an Easter Sunday, by the way). What was explained to me is that as you get older, the gooey stuff in the eye gets sticky and sort of shrinks. If you have bad luck, it will cling to the retina and tear it. There was no pain, but it scared the hell out of me. But, as fountainhall said, the correction was painless and took only an hour. They merely slip some thingy around the eye (doesn't hurt at all) that has a laser at the end and glue the retina back together and stick it back on the rear of the eye.

But, a retinal detachment is a much more serious thing. When that happens you will see a black curtain like image descend over your vision. I was told that when that happens you must get it re-attached immediately (within hours) or risk blindness. That repair job is also done with a laser and painless.
fountainhall

Re: Retina Detachment

Post by fountainhall »

Mine happened back in 1996 when, at dusk one evening, quite literally I fell down a hole in a road and hit the left side of my head. Not badly, but badly enough to detach the retina. Not a complete detachment; merely partial in a small area. Unfortunately, I had no idea it had happened until I began to see hair-like images floating in front of my eye. Daily I looked in the mirror to try and wipe my eye clear, not realising these were inside the eye. It was only about 3 weeks later that I started seeing the bright flashes of streaked white light at the side of my eye. I, too, had a flight coming up a week later, and it was only for that reason I went to see the eye specialist. He tried laser surgery, but it did not 'take'. In those days, the repair was then done by cryosurgery under the eye requiring hopsitalisation and general anaesthetic. Nowadays, it is a much simpler procedure I believe.

Because I did not take action as soon as I noticed the hair-like images, it resulted in more tissue being torn away and more 'floaters', as they are called, sitting in front of the eye. I now have some difficulty reading with that eye. Thankfully, because I have regular 6-month retina checks, another defect has just been discovered in my right eye that will eventually require surgery. So I urge everyone to have the quick retina checks from time to time. These require the pupils to be dilated (approx. 30 minutes) and then examination by the specialist. It's all over in less than 45 minutes.
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Rogie
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Re: Retina Detachment

Post by Rogie »

fountainhall wrote: Especially for those who have worn spectacles to correct long-distance vision since childhood, it is recommended that you get a simple retina check around age 50 or so, because such correction can lead to deterioration at the sides of the retina and make a tear more likely.
I hadn't heard of that possible consequence of being short sighted. I've been short sighted since childhood, but have been wearing contact lenses for 40 years. For the past 15 years I no longer wear the contact lenses all day, simply reverting to my specs when I take them out. Some days I'll wear the specs all day. Also, once you get past 50, even with contact lenses, trying to focus on anything close-up needs reading glasses.
fountainhall wrote: So I urge everyone to have the quick retina checks from time to time. These require the pupils to be dilated (approx. 30 minutes) and then examination by the specialist. It's all over in less than 45 minutes.
That's useful to know. I go for an annual contact lens check up and the optician does quite a few checks using what looks to me like the latest equipment to check for glaucoma, macular degeneration and probably anything else, but I haven't thought to ask him about a specific 'retina check', so I just rang his practice and one of his staff said any retina problems would be picked up during the annual check. Next time I see him in person I'll double check on that.
thaiworthy

Re: Retina Detachment

Post by thaiworthy »

I had surgery for cataracts 20 years ago. These days they don't do that anymore, they use laser. I still have floaters and crap in my eye from all that and I've just gotten used to it. Doesn't really bother me, now. I also have a retina checkup every year.
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