Health: Support for Patients After Detached Retina Surgery

A torn or detached retina can be a very serious medical condition. Anyone who develops a black or gray spot in their field of vision should be evaluated immediately by a retina specialist for a possible tear or detachment of the retina, the portion in the back of the eye that allows light images to be recreated in the optic nerve for sensing by the brain.

For patients recovering from a detached retina, it is essential to follow the retina specialist's aftercare instructions. Depending on the type of treatment, this may include eye drops and the need to remain in position lying on one side or face down for several days while the retina reattaches.

In my case, I required five surgeries to reattach my retina after a poke in the eye during a basketball game. The first surgery was a cryogenic surgery where the retina is frozen and allowed to heal. The additional surgeries were due to a condition called PVR, where scar tissue pulls on the retina and causes it to re-detach.

Post-Surgery Advice

During several of my surgeries, I had to hold a position with head down or lying on my side for about a week each time. I was told it was ok to move my head upright when eating or using the bathroom, but that I should resume the head positioning at all other times. This was a great challenge.

Helpful Websites

Victrectomy.com was a tremendous help after my vitrectomy surgeries, in which the vitreous humor had to be removed from my eye to help reattach the retina. The site provides mats, cushions, and supports that were a huge help in making it through the face down week. I rented an ergonomic chair from them with a massage table type support for my head. I would also highly recommend the two-mirror which enabled me to watch TV and use the computer while my head faced down. This company ships worldwide and are very knowledgeable and helpful.

Another helpful site is the yahoo detached retina group. It was very helpful to find others going through similar challenges. I would just be careful to use the group for emotional support and not for medical advice. If you have any questions, ask your retina specialist.

Advice for Diminished Eye Sight

After all the surgeries, my end result was diminished eye sight in the right eye. My sight is essentially 20/200 but glasses do not help because the image from the right eye is off center and turned slightly compared to the vision from the left eye. Essentially, I would see a double image if I used both eyes.

With the help of my optometrist, we devised a way to defocus the right eye with a glasses lens and a thin piece of plastic which presses on to the lens. This mostly blocks out the light from my right eye so I am not bothered by a double image. Thus, I use only my left eye for sight.

A lot of people wonder how I can get by using only one eye. People often assume that my depth perception is diminished. Surprisingly, I have not found that to be the case. I like to joke that my basketball shooting is actually better now than it was before and say "I should have done this a long time ago." I am able to play tennis, hit a baseball, play catch, or participate in any activity that requires depth perception and not have any difficulty.

Interestingly, the most difficult part of using just one eye for me is when I try to scan a bookshelf or a shelf at the grocery store or drugstore. Apparently, we normally count on both eyes when we scan back and forth on a shelf looking for something. It takes me a tiny bit longer to find things on the shelf with my single eye scanning.

For the first several months after my injury, as my friends will attest, I was often bumping into things on my right side that I was not able to see. Moving gracefully around a table or through a narrow doorway without bumping, it turns out, requires stereo vision. In fact, I was often bumping into people on my right or stubbing my toe on things near my right foot. As time has passed, I have gotten more adept at looking to the right and checking clearances. I also let my friends know not to sneak up on me from the right. Another minor inconvenience is that the 3-D movie glasses don't work for me anymore since they require stereo vision.

In the healing process, you will need to learn to be patient. Recovery from a detached retina can be a long and difficult process. Follow your doctor's instructions and allow yourself time to heal.