Torn retina - emergency surgery
Discussion
What a shocker. No previous eyes issues, flew to Mallorca last Thursday for my daughters wedding.
That night around the pool I started seeing flashes around the perimeter of the eye. The following morning I thought a money spider was in front of my eye so kept trying to swat it. Thousands of dots appeared 'floaters'. No pain nothing, it continued the spiders, floaters , flashes, dots just a nuisance really . My lad's a doc and was getting worried. Flew home Monday and on the flight I started losing colour saturation.
I went straight to the emergency eye hospital, as I sat there my vision was visibily getting worse, everything on the wall I could read with my left eye was blurred in my right, a mist started to descend.
I was examined by 3 docs and then the surgeon and an hour later underwent emergency surgery for a retinal detachment. I was told if I'd left it a few days I'd be blind in that eye.
I had three procedures and three needles inserted into my eyeball. I now have a gas bubble holding the repair in place for up to 8 weeks. I can't drive, we've had to cancel our Caribbean holiday in 3 weeks as cant fly due to the gas bubble.
I'm still in shock at this sudden onset out of the blue. There was no trauma, they put it down to age - im 61. I'll need cataract surgery further down the line.
My sight has always been excellent - anyone else suffered anything similar ?
That night around the pool I started seeing flashes around the perimeter of the eye. The following morning I thought a money spider was in front of my eye so kept trying to swat it. Thousands of dots appeared 'floaters'. No pain nothing, it continued the spiders, floaters , flashes, dots just a nuisance really . My lad's a doc and was getting worried. Flew home Monday and on the flight I started losing colour saturation.
I went straight to the emergency eye hospital, as I sat there my vision was visibily getting worse, everything on the wall I could read with my left eye was blurred in my right, a mist started to descend.
I was examined by 3 docs and then the surgeon and an hour later underwent emergency surgery for a retinal detachment. I was told if I'd left it a few days I'd be blind in that eye.
I had three procedures and three needles inserted into my eyeball. I now have a gas bubble holding the repair in place for up to 8 weeks. I can't drive, we've had to cancel our Caribbean holiday in 3 weeks as cant fly due to the gas bubble.
I'm still in shock at this sudden onset out of the blue. There was no trauma, they put it down to age - im 61. I'll need cataract surgery further down the line.
My sight has always been excellent - anyone else suffered anything similar ?
Edited by DT1975 on Wednesday 9th September 23:34
sjc said:
My neighbour, mid fifties has just had the exactly the same thing,even to the point of cancelling his holiday that was due the following week.
Yes , it seems a lottery with age. I think many people get these 'floaters' in their eyes, mine were due to the detrious and blood as the retina started to rapidly detach. Hats off to the NHS in my case, they moved very quickly. As it is I have little to no vision in the eye due to the gas bubble, the left eye is trying to compensate and its all a bit of a mess. Happened to my wife one Saturday morning. She said it was like a shutter over her eye. Went to optician and she referred to A&E.
Was dreading a massive wait but amazingly she was seen very quickly by on call eye doc, She said she'd get someone in to operate but whoever it was couldn't be arsed to come in so the op was scheduled and done Monday morning. Was weeks with the gas bubble - in her case she had to keep head up, but sometimes it can involve keeping face down.
Then needed cataract op fairly some months later. All OK now.
Was dreading a massive wait but amazingly she was seen very quickly by on call eye doc, She said she'd get someone in to operate but whoever it was couldn't be arsed to come in so the op was scheduled and done Monday morning. Was weeks with the gas bubble - in her case she had to keep head up, but sometimes it can involve keeping face down.
Then needed cataract op fairly some months later. All OK now.
Sheepshanks said:
Happened to my wife one Saturday morning. She said it was like a shutter over her eye. Went to optician and she referred to A&E.
Was dreading a massive wait but amazingly she was seen very quickly by on call eye doc, She said she'd get someone in to operate but whoever it was couldn't be arsed to come in so the op was scheduled and done Monday morning. Was weeks with the gas bubble - in her case she had to keep head up, but sometimes it can involve keeping face down.
Then needed cataract op fairly some months later. All OK now.
Excellent news. I have to keep my head down as you said and sleep on my left side :-) Facing the missus all night is a new one as I naturally face the other way. Was dreading a massive wait but amazingly she was seen very quickly by on call eye doc, She said she'd get someone in to operate but whoever it was couldn't be arsed to come in so the op was scheduled and done Monday morning. Was weeks with the gas bubble - in her case she had to keep head up, but sometimes it can involve keeping face down.
Then needed cataract op fairly some months later. All OK now.
DT1975 said:
Excellent news. I have to keep my head down as you said and sleep on my left side :-) Facing the missus all night is a new one as I naturally face the other way.
Face down posturing is one of the harder positions to be in all day There are various tables & supports you can hire:https://www.facedownsupporthire.com/units-we-hire
Suffered something similar, although not as bad thankfully, swimming in the pool a year or two ago ,all of a sudden massive veil across my right eye ,acquaintance is a retired eye surgeon, gave him a ring and he thought worse case scenario detachment of retina, go see opthalmogist ASAP, was examined the next day .
Turned out just a massive floater ,sign of aging, 63 at time.
Brain filters most of the thing out but still pisses me off as its my dominant eye.
It's s
t getting old
Turned out just a massive floater ,sign of aging, 63 at time.
Brain filters most of the thing out but still pisses me off as its my dominant eye.
It's s
t getting oldI had one in 2021. But it was undiagnosed until 2024, when they spotted some major scar tissue and a hole. Apparently righ up near my nose, easy to miss.
Had it laser zapped to stop any further tearing hopefully. Still get flashing lights but can still see out of it apart from outer peripheral
Had it laser zapped to stop any further tearing hopefully. Still get flashing lights but can still see out of it apart from outer peripheral
jules_s said:
My Mrs had the same
A tear in one eye and then a detachment in the other.
Two slightly different things but both st. The tear was just lazered and its been all good since.
If you have any floaters/flashing don't fk about - straight to the eye hospital
Without wishing to play down the symptoms of retinal detachments or tears there are lots of reasons why, especially as you get older, you may see flashes and floaters. Most of these are annoying but fairly innocuous. We will all get vitreous detachments and most are entirely asymptomatic but if there are symptoms they will be f+f.A tear in one eye and then a detachment in the other.
Two slightly different things but both s
t. The tear was just lazered and its been all good since.If you have any floaters/flashing don't f
k about - straight to the eye hospitalIn most areas you can't just rock up to your local eye department without an external referral. Yes you can go to A+E or urgent care or whatever your area calls it and yes they will bleep the on call Ophthalmologist but speed is not always foremost in their minds, it's not life threatening.
But you can look for your local optometry MECS service (minor eye care service) if your area has one or just contact your local optometry practice and explain. All staff will be trained to listen to f+f stories and there will be opportunities to be seen that day. Expect to have dilation drops put in so don't drive.
All practices will have local protocol for anything they feel needs to go to hospital as an emergency and they will get you seen faster than just turning up to A+E. Or they can save you the trip and put your mind at rest there and then.
Beware some areas, like mine, don't have secondary care all the time. We don't have cover afternoons at the weekend or BH so don't leave it to the weekend.
Usually tears and detachments can be repaired very successfully but time is of the essence so yes f+f needs attention but don't panic just yet.
redrabbit29 said:
Bloody hell, that sounds absolutely terrifying! Hope you're recovering ok
Thanks , its all very odd at the moment. No vision of note in the eye as its full with a gas bubble for the next 4-8 weeks, suddenly having only one working eye is a complete low baller.I keep asking myself if they really needed to operate. Three docs took so long with their biomicroscope (thanks google) 'I think I've spotted something' - then a second and third opinion, I had no idea how long the process took and its all still done manually. Then the surgeon rocks up takes a similar age in looking around and then says ' we can operate now' - which was 8pm at night. So I presume it was urgent, I mean it had to be.
In the big scheme of things (cancer etc) its probably right down there but I'm thinking why me ? No family history, no previous issues. Anyway in three months time I'll hopefully be looking back at this thread and thinking 'you big jessie'.
As above...sudden lights and floaters don't try and tough it out, straight to A&E.
I had something that inititially looked like a detached retina in 2022. It was detached but not for the usual reasons. Mine had a build up of fluid behind it...
...thanks to a feckin' great melanoma loitering above it (18mm across, 6mm thick). Treated with proton beam radiotherapy with (mostly) success. The cretin is dead.
Injections in it every 3 months afterwards for a couple of years (and soon to be restarted I think
) aren't much fun either!
Get your eyes OCT scanned at regular intervals & periodically check the vision out of each eye (just close the other one & have a look!). I hadn't noticed the area of greyed out vision developing in my right eye (towards the bottom ) because the other one was working perfectly well.
My father had detached retinas in both eyes. ISTR him saying that you can be a candidate for it if the back of your eye is a bit more egg shaped than spherical. Time is indeed of the essence if you think its kicking off.
...thanks to a feckin' great melanoma loitering above it (18mm across, 6mm thick). Treated with proton beam radiotherapy with (mostly) success. The cretin is dead.
Injections in it every 3 months afterwards for a couple of years (and soon to be restarted I think
) aren't much fun either!Get your eyes OCT scanned at regular intervals & periodically check the vision out of each eye (just close the other one & have a look!). I hadn't noticed the area of greyed out vision developing in my right eye (towards the bottom ) because the other one was working perfectly well.
My father had detached retinas in both eyes. ISTR him saying that you can be a candidate for it if the back of your eye is a bit more egg shaped than spherical. Time is indeed of the essence if you think its kicking off.
DT1975 said:
.
As above...sudden lights and floaters don't try and tough it out, straight to A&E.
Yep -I was told that directly by the surgeon after my wifes surgery (both times)As above...sudden lights and floaters don't try and tough it out, straight to A&E.
The first time (tear) she had flashes etc at 8pm at night, I took her to specsavers (or somewhere) at 9:00am and they referred her to the eye hospital instantly. The eye hospital would have seen her at 9:01 if we could have got there
The second time (detachment on the other eye) she ummed before about 30 minutes before telling me. That ended up with the needles/bubble/cataract replacement
I'm sure DKL has best intentions above, but the bottom line is straight to the eye hospital/A&E
For you DT1975...
Driving home from Norfolk to Manchester Aug Friday AM 2022 , i unwittingly embarked upon the journey you're on.
Usual stuff prior, floater's , the odd neon light , then Bang .. effecftive sight loss in right eye , no ryhme no reason.
Manchester Eye Hospital on the friday PM , said come back tomorrow , no urgency anymore due to retinal detachment has taken the macula too - the worst type.
Saturday AM got the operation Mr Felipe Dhawahir-Scala carried out the operation (forgive the detail , but these guys became the nearest iv'e ever been to deity- dramatic i know ,but when i couldn't see properly and was scared to death..).
In shock , weeks of rest and recovery , uncertainty, fear , time away from work (own business) massive change in outlook , worried about the future etc.
Slow careful recovery, went private with Mr Assad Jalil (another absolute Saviour) who carried out all the subsequent work.
Went through all the stages, lying face down for two day's etc, on to the careful recovery (told not to lift a bag of sugar for fear of the possible damage to the healing retina).
Day to day difficulties, inc lack of depth perception (tried fronting it at family gathering ,i was pouring the wine ..missed everybodies glassses, and wine all over the table - we all laughed it off but i was crushed inside by that - won't forget that for a long time).
Like a lot of PH 'ers, like my cars - and was racing TVR's at the time.
Had to get used to the thought that i my PH garage may possibly have end up being a solitary Aygo (if i was lucky) , driven slowly .
All in all rather depressing , as well as the financial impact.
Slowly but surley, inc the cataract operation (the gas they use to hold your eye together in recovery, causes the more complex cataract as im sure you know) things got steadily better - remember , i had the worst form of retinal detachement , which took the macular.
It was a long , scary, and if not life changing, but certainly an oppurtunity for deep reflection , period of my life.
2024 i was back in the gym, living life perfectly normally , racing a 7 litre TVR Tuscan Challenge Car.
2025 Mr Jalil told me my eye sight was better than his, but i still sold my 7 litre Tuscan to concentrate on my little old 4.5 AJP Tuscan
2026 Everything sweet , my right eye (detachment) sees things ever so slightly taller and thinner than my left , also circles are mildly less concentic at at about 11 O Clock - but this has improved nicely year on year since 2022.
Practically despite a rather major retinal macular off detachment , it's all good now.
Im back mountain biking lifting weights and arsing about with Tuscan's , i'm effing blessed to report.
I only mention this, to re-iterate , the fact that i went from utter despair to back being the complete arse that i always was before
Happy to answer any questions, whatever you're feeling, good or Bad here or PM.. ive been there
Driving home from Norfolk to Manchester Aug Friday AM 2022 , i unwittingly embarked upon the journey you're on.
Usual stuff prior, floater's , the odd neon light , then Bang .. effecftive sight loss in right eye , no ryhme no reason.
Manchester Eye Hospital on the friday PM , said come back tomorrow , no urgency anymore due to retinal detachment has taken the macula too - the worst type.
Saturday AM got the operation Mr Felipe Dhawahir-Scala carried out the operation (forgive the detail , but these guys became the nearest iv'e ever been to deity- dramatic i know ,but when i couldn't see properly and was scared to death..).
In shock , weeks of rest and recovery , uncertainty, fear , time away from work (own business) massive change in outlook , worried about the future etc.
Slow careful recovery, went private with Mr Assad Jalil (another absolute Saviour) who carried out all the subsequent work.
Went through all the stages, lying face down for two day's etc, on to the careful recovery (told not to lift a bag of sugar for fear of the possible damage to the healing retina).
Day to day difficulties, inc lack of depth perception (tried fronting it at family gathering ,i was pouring the wine ..missed everybodies glassses, and wine all over the table - we all laughed it off but i was crushed inside by that - won't forget that for a long time).
Like a lot of PH 'ers, like my cars - and was racing TVR's at the time.
Had to get used to the thought that i my PH garage may possibly have end up being a solitary Aygo (if i was lucky) , driven slowly .
All in all rather depressing , as well as the financial impact.
Slowly but surley, inc the cataract operation (the gas they use to hold your eye together in recovery, causes the more complex cataract as im sure you know) things got steadily better - remember , i had the worst form of retinal detachement , which took the macular.
It was a long , scary, and if not life changing, but certainly an oppurtunity for deep reflection , period of my life.
2024 i was back in the gym, living life perfectly normally , racing a 7 litre TVR Tuscan Challenge Car.
2025 Mr Jalil told me my eye sight was better than his, but i still sold my 7 litre Tuscan to concentrate on my little old 4.5 AJP Tuscan
2026 Everything sweet , my right eye (detachment) sees things ever so slightly taller and thinner than my left , also circles are mildly less concentic at at about 11 O Clock - but this has improved nicely year on year since 2022.
Practically despite a rather major retinal macular off detachment , it's all good now.
Im back mountain biking lifting weights and arsing about with Tuscan's , i'm effing blessed to report.
I only mention this, to re-iterate , the fact that i went from utter despair to back being the complete arse that i always was before
Happy to answer any questions, whatever you're feeling, good or Bad here or PM.. ive been there
RetroWheels said:
For you DT1975...
Driving home from Norfolk to Manchester Aug Friday AM 2022 , i unwittingly embarked upon the journey you're on.
Usual stuff prior, floater's , the odd neon light , then Bang .. effecftive sight loss in right eye , no ryhme no reason.
Manchester Eye Hospital on the friday PM , said come back tomorrow , no urgency anymore due to retinal detachment has taken the macula too - the worst type.
Saturday AM got the operation Mr Felipe Dhawahir-Scala carried out the operation (forgive the detail , but these guys became the nearest iv'e ever been to deity- dramatic i know ,but when i couldn't see properly and was scared to death..).
In shock , weeks of rest and recovery , uncertainty, fear , time away from work (own business) massive change in outlook , worried about the future etc.
Slow careful recovery, went private with Mr Assad Jalil (another absolute Saviour) who carried out all the subsequent work.
Went through all the stages, lying face down for two day's etc, on to the careful recovery (told not to lift a bag of sugar for fear of the possible damage to the healing retina).
Day to day difficulties, inc lack of depth perception (tried fronting it at family gathering ,i was pouring the wine ..missed everybodies glassses, and wine all over the table - we all laughed it off but i was crushed inside by that - won't forget that for a long time).
Like a lot of PH 'ers, like my cars - and was racing TVR's at the time.
Had to get used to the thought that i my PH garage may possibly have end up being a solitary Aygo (if i was lucky) , driven slowly .
All in all rather depressing , as well as the financial impact.
Slowly but surley, inc the cataract operation (the gas they use to hold your eye together in recovery, causes the more complex cataract as im sure you know) things got steadily better - remember , i had the worst form of retinal detachement , which took the macular.
It was a long , scary, and if not life changing, but certainly an oppurtunity for deep reflection , period of my life.
2024 i was back in the gym, living life perfectly normally , racing a 7 litre TVR Tuscan Challenge Car.
2025 Mr Jalil told me my eye sight was better than his, but i still sold my 7 litre Tuscan to concentrate on my little old 4.5 AJP Tuscan
2026 Everything sweet , my right eye (detachment) sees things ever so slightly taller and thinner than my left , also circles are mildly less concentic at at about 11 O Clock - but this has improved nicely year on year since 2022.
Practically despite a rather major retinal macular off detachment , it's all good now.
Im back mountain biking lifting weights and arsing about with Tuscan's , i'm effing blessed to report.
I only mention this, to re-iterate , the fact that i went from utter despair to back being the complete arse that i always was before
Happy to answer any questions, whatever you're feeling, good or Bad here or PM.. ive been there
Cheers RW, wow I'm glad you're sorted now, that really does give me hope. Mentally I'm kind of going through what you did, it's just the uncertainty of it all as you say, plus of course suddenly having no vision in the eye due to the gas bubble /op and trying to adapt to temporarily being blind in one eye. We take our eyesight for granted but suddenly the mind and body are going wtf is happening here.Driving home from Norfolk to Manchester Aug Friday AM 2022 , i unwittingly embarked upon the journey you're on.
Usual stuff prior, floater's , the odd neon light , then Bang .. effecftive sight loss in right eye , no ryhme no reason.
Manchester Eye Hospital on the friday PM , said come back tomorrow , no urgency anymore due to retinal detachment has taken the macula too - the worst type.
Saturday AM got the operation Mr Felipe Dhawahir-Scala carried out the operation (forgive the detail , but these guys became the nearest iv'e ever been to deity- dramatic i know ,but when i couldn't see properly and was scared to death..).
In shock , weeks of rest and recovery , uncertainty, fear , time away from work (own business) massive change in outlook , worried about the future etc.
Slow careful recovery, went private with Mr Assad Jalil (another absolute Saviour) who carried out all the subsequent work.
Went through all the stages, lying face down for two day's etc, on to the careful recovery (told not to lift a bag of sugar for fear of the possible damage to the healing retina).
Day to day difficulties, inc lack of depth perception (tried fronting it at family gathering ,i was pouring the wine ..missed everybodies glassses, and wine all over the table - we all laughed it off but i was crushed inside by that - won't forget that for a long time).
Like a lot of PH 'ers, like my cars - and was racing TVR's at the time.
Had to get used to the thought that i my PH garage may possibly have end up being a solitary Aygo (if i was lucky) , driven slowly .
All in all rather depressing , as well as the financial impact.
Slowly but surley, inc the cataract operation (the gas they use to hold your eye together in recovery, causes the more complex cataract as im sure you know) things got steadily better - remember , i had the worst form of retinal detachement , which took the macular.
It was a long , scary, and if not life changing, but certainly an oppurtunity for deep reflection , period of my life.
2024 i was back in the gym, living life perfectly normally , racing a 7 litre TVR Tuscan Challenge Car.
2025 Mr Jalil told me my eye sight was better than his, but i still sold my 7 litre Tuscan to concentrate on my little old 4.5 AJP Tuscan
2026 Everything sweet , my right eye (detachment) sees things ever so slightly taller and thinner than my left , also circles are mildly less concentic at at about 11 O Clock - but this has improved nicely year on year since 2022.
Practically despite a rather major retinal macular off detachment , it's all good now.
Im back mountain biking lifting weights and arsing about with Tuscan's , i'm effing blessed to report.
I only mention this, to re-iterate , the fact that i went from utter despair to back being the complete arse that i always was before
Happy to answer any questions, whatever you're feeling, good or Bad here or PM.. ive been there
Looking at the notes, Vitrectomy, cyrotherapy and C2F6 gas for retinal detachment- the bummer being this particular gas means no flying for 10 weeks - hence big holiday gone and Insurance company battle more than likely. Like you I'm physically active, in my case cycling, golf, weights and working on our cars, football matches - all stopped, now I can't even drive until the bubble has gone.
Interesting about your macula and its incredible really how that recovered. It appears in my case the damage had just reached it, as at 2pm colour was rapidly disappearing, vision going and a mist descending, thats when I realised I'd made the right decision to get straight off the plane and taxi to the eye hospital. I understand however the oxygen deprived cells go into a suspension mode and as I was operated on a few hours later all might be well, hopefully.
That aside thanks for sharing, its good to hear other accounts and experiences, the main thing for me is they're mostly all positive so it's just a matter of cracking on I guess. The wine thing made me chuckle and I know exactly what you mean :-)
It s crap when it first happens, but really does get better over time, as the gas dissolves sight comes back, but as you know, the gas forms a cataract, then they remove that and jobs a good un.
Rest and long walks were my pass times , and one eyed reading.
Rest and long walks were my pass times , and one eyed reading.
Edited by RetroWheels on Saturday 12th September 11:42
Quick update. Day 8 post surgery.
Swelling and general pain has gone down. I'm on 14 eye drops a day. I can now stop the left side sleeping / posturing.
I'm meant to be seen within 14 days but nothing yet from the NHS about an appt.
I had an annoying floater appear a few days back, its like a blob of blood and a bit of detrious however nothing else to indicate issues.
Looking down I can see my chest area and colour thank god.
My insurance company (Barclays / Aviva) have been really helpful, likewise my GP. Instead of a simple not fit to fly letter they suggested the fully monty medical certificate as there's a £40 charge. There's a few things in the last 12 months I haven't declared because it amounted to nothing much but the Insurance form kind of reads otherwise.
Swelling and general pain has gone down. I'm on 14 eye drops a day. I can now stop the left side sleeping / posturing.
I'm meant to be seen within 14 days but nothing yet from the NHS about an appt.
I had an annoying floater appear a few days back, its like a blob of blood and a bit of detrious however nothing else to indicate issues.
Looking down I can see my chest area and colour thank god.
My insurance company (Barclays / Aviva) have been really helpful, likewise my GP. Instead of a simple not fit to fly letter they suggested the fully monty medical certificate as there's a £40 charge. There's a few things in the last 12 months I haven't declared because it amounted to nothing much but the Insurance form kind of reads otherwise.
Edited by DT1975 on Tuesday 15th September 22:12
jules_s said:
Yep -I was told that directly by the surgeon after my wifes surgery (both times)
The first time (tear) she had flashes etc at 8pm at night, I took her to specsavers (or somewhere) at 9:00am and they referred her to the eye hospital instantly. The eye hospital would have seen her at 9:01 if we could have got there
The second time (detachment on the other eye) she ummed before about 30 minutes before telling me. That ended up with the needles/bubble/cataract replacement
I'm sure DKL has best intentions above, but the bottom line is straight to the eye hospital/A&E
You seem to be disagreeing with me and my "best intentions" despite actually doing what I'm telling people is the best route. Which is odd.The first time (tear) she had flashes etc at 8pm at night, I took her to specsavers (or somewhere) at 9:00am and they referred her to the eye hospital instantly. The eye hospital would have seen her at 9:01 if we could have got there
The second time (detachment on the other eye) she ummed before about 30 minutes before telling me. That ended up with the needles/bubble/cataract replacement
I'm sure DKL has best intentions above, but the bottom line is straight to the eye hospital/A&E
To reiterate eye depts won't see you without an external referral - you had one from Specsavers (or somewhere) - and that external referral is available quickly on the high st. Yes A+E will see you (eventually) and will bleep the oncall Ophthalmologist or 111 will arrange it too.
Your local Optometrist will be far more familiar with a retina than an A+E doc. I know what I'd do.
To the OP - glad it's settling, they can work wonders these days (if the laser is working!)
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