Detached Retina Symptoms and Signs

If you suddenly notice spots, floaters and flashes of light, you may be experiencing the warning signs of a detached retina. Your vision might become blurry, or you might have poor vision. Another sign is seeing a shadow or a curtain descending from the top of the eye or across from the side.
These signs can occur gradually as the retina pulls away from the supportive tissue, or they may occur suddenly if the retina detaches immediately.
No pain is associated with retinal detachment. If you experience any of the signs, consult your eye doctor right away. Immediate treatment increases your odds of regaining lost vision.

Retina Detachment ~ My Personal Experience

Within hours I went from being virtually oblivious to retinal detachments, and their implications, to understanding that, while minimal, there was a chance I could soon be blind in my left eye!
Here's a diary of what transpired and my perspective on possibly managing and improving treatment for pain and fear ... so you don't have to feel the pain I did and the fear I saw another go through!
So far I have had one reattachment which did not hold and am now in the process of undergoing more intrusive surgery to attempt reattachment.
(This is a blog, so to start at the beginning, simply scroll to the end and read forward from there.)
You can contact me ... Mike ... at marandmike @ sympatico.ca

Summary of My Operations

LEFT EYE
Jul 8, 2009 ... Pneumatic Retinopexy, (C3F8 Gas), Dr. Martin
Aug 6, 2009 ... Vitrectomy, (C3F8 Gas), Dr. Chaudhary
Sept 4, 2009 ... Vitrectomy, (C3F8 Gas, Buckle, Cataract: Lens replacement), Dr. Chaudhary
Oct 19, 2009 ... Vitrectomy, (Silicone Oil), Dr. Chaudhary

RIGHT EYE
Jul 24, 2009 ... Laser Surgery, Dr. Martin
Aug 1, 2009 ... Laser Surgery, Dr. Chaudhary

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Darn Eyeball!!!
Dr. Robert Adam, the attending ophthalmologist
at St. Joesph's last night. A great guy!



What a lousy way to close out July and start August!
At approximately 4:00PM yesterday I noticed the gas bubble that had been injected into my eyeball to hold my retina in place was breaking up into many pieces. It had already diminished to approximately 50% of its original size, so I simply thought this was probably the way the balance dissipates.
There was a football game at 7:30PM and, having been a rather hot and humid day, I decided to have a shower; then enjoy some football.
That is when I noticed something was really askew. In the shower room I saw a flash of light, not unlike lightning, reminiscent of my original retinal detachment. The overhead light in the shower is very bright, so I tried to write that flash off as a reflection of the overhead in the bubble. But I was anxious.
Sure enough, by the time I reached the bedroom, more than half of my left eyesight was gone once again, that "curtain" shutting off my view exactly as I had experienced at the beginning of July.
St. Joseph's Emergency Department told me to come in immediately. The attending physician, Dr. Healy, contacted the ophthalmologist on call, Dr. Robert Adam, seen above examining and confirming my fears: the retina in my left eye had detached once again.
Dr. Adam is calling me today, (Saturday morning), at 9ish with the details of my next operation.
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