Detached retina anyone ? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Pete Geither · #1 02-19-2008, 02:58 PM

My sister has one and has been going through hell the last couple of weeks. Anyone here with any experience, and did things get back to normal ?

sunedog · #2 02-19-2008, 03:30 PM

My wife was hit in the eye by a Champagne cork about 10 years ago. She said she saw stars and then a moment later a black curtain appeared to come down in that eye. That was the effect of the retina tearing away from the back inner surface of her eye. She was temporarily blind in that eye.

The local retina expert did a miraculous procedure that saved most of her vision in that eye. He assessed exactly where the tear was, injected a bubble of nitrogen gas into her eye (makes me squirm to think of it), then had her place her head on a custom molded foam pad for something like 24 hours. She was positioned so the bubble would float up and push the torn retina against the inner surface of the eye. He also applied a scleral (sp?) buckle which is some sort of belt around her entire eyeball to change the shape for some reason.

She regained most of her sight but complains to this day she doesn't see very well in that eye even with glasses or contacts. I don't know what her before and after stats are, but I would guess she permanently lost 10% or 20% performance in that eye. And she fears further deterioration as she gets older.

Pete Geither · #3 02-19-2008, 06:04 PM

What a bummer for a younger person to have that happen because of an accident,,, my sisters is probably from age and she is having some type of surgery today. I hope it works out.

Dee8go · #4 02-19-2008, 10:11 PM

No thanks.

Lycoming-8 · #5 02-20-2008, 02:17 AM

I had a small retinal tear about 5 yrs ago, from previous necessary work to the eye. The symptom was a small black hemisphere in the lower right part of that eye's vision. Had it checked that afternoon, the Dr. confirmed my initial diagnosis and performed surgery that evening. The actual problem was 180 deg away on upper left part of the eye and the retina was freeze welded with liq CO2. This was followed the next day with an injection of sulfur hexa-fluoride gas to press the retina into place. Had to remain in a strange position for about ten days, with that part of the eye positioned vertically up. As mentioned above it has been nearly five years and no recurrance or repurcussions!!! Yes I do count my blessings.

cudaspaz · #6 02-20-2008, 09:59 AM

My brother had a pretty serious detached retina problem.

The doc had to pop his eyeball out of the socket while my brother was still awake as the doc did whatever he had to do to reattach things.
No pain, just lotsa pressure he said.

He said the procedure took about 45 minutes and he has not had a problem since.

What caused it all was that my brother was one of those guys that could make his eyeballs giggle back and forth really fast, and he could hold one eye straight and make the other eye go crosseyed.

This was something he did quite often back in highschool to impress his friends.

The doc said it was all catching up to him now.

Mistress · #7 02-20-2008, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete Geither

My sister has one and has been going through hell the last couple of weeks. Anyone here with any experience, and did things get back to normal ?

Yep, both eyes......not good for a photgrapher. I had to have them both reattached. It took a few weeks and it actually made my eyesight better in one eye for a few years. Scared the crap out of me.

sunedog · #8 02-20-2008, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mistress

......not good for a photgrapher.

My wife is a photog as well. Thought that would help in the workers comp settlement for permanent partial injury. Went through a lawyer and everything but got less than $2K. That hasn't even covered the cost of follow up treatments, tests, special lenses, etc.