Detatched Retina Operation in a couple of hours

[GearHd]

Did they have to put a scleral buckle around the eyeball?

My wife had that particular surgery August of 16, it was not a great experience for her. Did you have that done Bob?

[Bob Denman]

Yes, I did. I suffered a retina detachment in my left eye due to complications from diabetic retinopathy.
I have an "unusual" pain threshold: it doesn't seem to register...
I was only taking extra-strength Tylenol at the Hospital, and it kept the discomfort to a very manageable level.

Due to tearing of the retina; they could only correct my vision to 20/360... How is your Wife doing with hers?

[GearHd]

The first couple days after surgery the pain was pretty unbearable for her. It was extremely bad on the trip home from the hospital, so bad she threw up about a mile from home.

Fast forward 5 months and she still can't wear contacts which she had worn for the passed 25 year. The white portion of her eye is raised slightly around the iris which doesn't allow the contact to sit tight against her eye. That does seem to be slowly getting back to normal. She's currently wearing glasses with a much stronger lens in that eye. So, her vision is nowhere near what it was prior to the surgery. She still has some slight shading at around the 10 o'clock position of the vision in her right eye. We blame that shading on the fact that her original retinal specialist didn't sense a lot of urgency on getting the surgery done ASAP after the detachment. They told her to just go about her business but don't jump on trampolines or anything like that. She didn't like that decision so she went to another Dr which told her she needed surgery ASAP, so in the meantime he told her to only lay on her back or her right side until she could get in for surgery.

[bustedflat]

The first couple days after surgery the pain was pretty unbearable for her. It was extremely bad on the trip home from the hospital, so bad she threw up about a mile from home.

Fast forward 5 months and she still can't wear contacts which she had worn for the passed 25 year. The white portion of her eye is raised slightly around the iris which doesn't allow the contact to sit tight against her eye. That does seem to be slowly getting back to normal. She's currently wearing glasses with a much stronger lens in that eye. So, her vision is nowhere near what it was prior to the surgery. She still has some slight shading at around the 10 o'clock position of the vision in her right eye. We blame that shading on the fact that her original retinal specialist didn't sense a lot of urgency on getting the surgery done ASAP after the detachment. They told her to just go about her business but don't jump on trampolines or anything like that. She didn't like that decision so she went to another Dr which told her she needed surgery ASAP, so in the meantime he told her to only lay on her back or her right side until she could get in for surgery.

I had a retina tear, repaired, detached two weeks later, repaired, detached again six weeks later, repaired again and has held firm for ten years. In each event the doctors acted as if it was an extreme emergency, and rightfully so.

Your retina has a minimal blood supply when detached from the back of your eyeball, and can die off, resulting in blindness. I have a partial deficit where the tear was, and because the retina didn't heal smoothly against the back of the eyeball, straight lines get kind of wavy.

It doesn't bother me unless I am reading, I just read with my good eye. As much of a problem it was to get my retina attached I was just glad to keep my eyesight. I still get an occasional "flash", scares the hell out of me, because I got flashes before the tear and detaches.

Point being, if your vision gets odd (possible detach) or eyeball fills with blood (retinal tear)
get to a RETINA SPECIALIST asap.

Edit: if your vision gets funky, could also be a stroke or other problems, get to to hospital.

[Bob Denman]

The first couple days after surgery the pain was pretty unbearable for her.
...The white portion of her eye is raised slightly around the iris which doesn't allow the contact to sit tight against her eye. That does seem to be slowly getting back to normal. She's currently wearing glasses with a much stronger lens in that eye. So, her vision is nowhere near what it was prior to the surgery..

Yup! The buckle actually changes the shape of the eyeball a little bit. They add the buckle, so that the retina has a better chance of hooking back up with the inside of the eyeball. (It as to do with getting two rounded surfaces to mate up...)
The end result is that you are MUCH more near-sighted in the repaired eye.

I'm sorry to hear that her recovery was a rough one...

[BigGuy66]

...had this surgery and each is doing just fine today. It's already the 13th and I pray that your recovery is speedy and 100%.

[jScotD]

Finally ate yesterday...down to 142 at 6'2"..(note to self----stay out of strong winds).....sleeping on my stomach..well...let's say I'm pretty tired...eye weeping a lot....black turned to some light today...soldiering on.......

Some of you folks had a time with yours...

[Bob Denman]

Glad to hear that you're making some progress!
As much as I hate to say this: Don't try to force yourself to eat... your appetite will return to you, when it's time to party!

And when it does: get ready!!