Retina issue

sucks2beme

Eyesight got blurry a few months ago. The vision center referred me to
A retina specialist. After scans, they sent me to my doctor immediately.
My blood pressure was through the roof. So I went on some serious
Blood pressure meds. I just revisted the retina specialist yesterday.
The retina scans showed reduced swelling, but they have started me on
Treatment. Shots in the eyeballs. Yuck. Numbing agents, multiple
disinfectant rinses, and then the shots. The worst part comes later
when the numbing agents wear off. About 18 hours of itching, burning
and a whole lot of eye watering.
The good news is these guys are supposed to be the best in the business.
And they are just around the corner.
The strange part is I didn't feel bad when my blood pressure was high.
The meds are kicking my behind. Hopefully the situation will improve
enough to dial down the meds. Getting old isn't for wusses.

mhardy6647

Mrs. H has had a remarkable number of eye issues, starting with a giant retinal tear in (IIRC) Dec. 1998 (and another, much more minor, tear almost exactly a year later in the other eye).
The stuff they can do with eyeballs nowadays is nothing short of astonishing.

OleBoot

sucks2beme wrote: »

Eyesight got blurry a few months ago. The vision center referred me to
A retina specialist. After scans, they sent me to my doctor immediately.
My blood pressure was through the roof. So I went on some serious
Blood pressure meds. I just revisted the retina specialist yesterday.
The retina scans showed reduced swelling, but they have started me on
Treatment. Shots in the eyeballs. Yuck. Numbing agents, multiple
disinfectant rinses, and then the shots. The worst part comes later
when the numbing agents wear off. About 18 hours of itching, burning
and a whole lot of eye watering.
The good news is these guys are supposed to be the best in the business.
And they are just around the corner.
The strange part is I didn't feel bad when my blood pressure was high.
The meds are kicking my behind. Hopefully the situation will improve
enough to dial down the meds. Getting old isn't for wusses.

Are you diabetic?

sucks2beme

Doctor confirmed that too. And high cholesterol.
So major diet changes as well. But the blood pressure
seems to have been the major cause. I retired two years
ago. I spent too many years working myself ragged..
Some days I didn't even get to sleep. In the end, the
corporate goons repaid my many years of service with
a pink slip and sent my job to India.
Note here for you younger guys. Don't make that mistake.
It takes a toll. Don't put up with it.

txcoastal1

If the meds are kicking your behind, choose a different one. Do not take combo pills that have Hydrochlorothiazide. They will dehydrate you daily. Summer time NO NO!!

I also pill cut 1/2's, test and regulate my own blood pressure. Exercise even a good walk every other day helps regulate.

sucks2beme

Been drinking a ton of water. Was doing a lot of walking and exercise.
I have lost weight too. Even more now under the new diet. Cut out caffeine
as well. I have had to cut back on walking the last couple of weeks due
to the heat.
At this point, had no choice but go with the doctor's guidance.
The doctor will most likely cut me back on the meds this month
when I go in for my appointment. At least that was the plan.
My vision needs to get better. I have to zoom in the tablet to
read or post things. I let the wife do the driving for now.
I'm just glad I didn't have a heart attack or stroke. Too many
Of my former co-workers had this happen.

aprazer402

@sucks2beme

I hope you get better real soon!!!!

I fell hard on a sidewalk last December. Saw a large floater within an hour. Got in to a Retina specialist early the next morning. During the same appt. the Dr. lasered around two small holes in my retina. I was seeing flashes in my peripheral vision.

I went back this Febr., he said it healed well where he lasered. He said there was some blood inside the eye in the bottom that would be reabsorbed in time.

Next appt. was May. In May he said the blood was coming from a very small vessel and that's what is causing occasional floaters and slightly hazey vision in the one eye. He said it's 50/50 the small bleed will resolve on it's own. If it does not stop, he said a Vitrectomy would be needed to remove the vitreous fluid/gel inside the eye and go in and cauterize the vessel. Outpatient about one hour, 95% success rate.

He will have to inject a gas bubble into my eye as my body will not replace the vitreous gel immediately. The gas bubble is to place pressure against the retina while my body makes replacement vitreous fluid/gel.

THIS IS THE BAD: He said I will have to lay on my side 50 minutes of every hour! 24 hours a day, FOR 5-6 WEEKS! Also he said after a Vitrectomy a cataract will usually appear in the eye in 1-3 years.

My next appointment is next Wednesday July 12th!

audioluvr

I've heard weed helps everything.

Edit: My Dad has the shots in his eyes. He says it's painless

jbreezy5

Praying for dude’s with these eye struggles. Sounds awful. Sorry you’re going through it!

sucks2beme

At least there are treatments. So many other things in life
aren't fixable. In a way, it saved my life. Most people wouldn't
survive with the blood pressure level I had.
Good luck Aprazer, I hope everything works out for you.

Willow

First off, I'm sorry to hear of your health issues, def. not a good time from what it sounds like. When drinking water, you may wish to add salt and magnesium to help rehydrate you properly. Water is good on its own but it is missing the minerals your body needs. Hope you and Aprazer get better soon and make a great and healthy recovery.

Milito

Also hope both of you have a quick recovery and feel better soon.

I also had my eye lasered about 5-6 years ago due to was seeing flashes. No problems since.

motorstereo

Get those eyes checked, and do whatever the doctor recommends. In my case I've struggled with poor vision all my life. Diagnosed with glaucoma 30 years ago, laser treatments, laser vision correction, stents, trabs, pills, drops and cataract removals last year that didn't turn out so well. I would give anything I own for decent vision. But I am grateful that I live in modern times as I would've been completely blind in my 40's had I lived before modern medicine that can diagnose and control many vision problems.

F1nut

I hope you guys with the eye problems get things sorted out quickly.

sucks2beme

Thanks. I do know it's not gonna be OK right away.
Doctor warned me about that it will get a bit worse
from the injections short term. I appreciate the support
from my fellow Polkforum members.

aprazer402

My retina eye doctor said today all looks great. Come back in a year unless I have large new floaters, flashes, vision problems.

Vision is 20/20 with my five year old glasses. Time to see my regular ophthalmologist now for new vision script. Distance is fine, close up and computer screen viewing needs to be stronger. I find myself tilting my head back looking through the bi-focals to see the monitors. I think I'm at 2.50 now.

Thank you for your concern and caring!!!!

bcwsrt

Wow! That's a huge turnaround from your earlier post! Awesome!

Hoping for an equally good report from @sucks2beme soon!

BlueBirdMusic

I'll put my name into this "pot". I am commenting to remind everyone who reads this to not delay when an eye problem occurs.

I had 20-20 vision until I was about 52 years old. I was driving alone on a Friday evening to North Myrtle Beach from Atlanta to meet several friends to play golf for the weekend. It was my first trip to Myrtle Beach, and before phones with maps. I was confused with some of the roads once I left I-95, and I pulled out a folded map to help. I realized I could not read the map at night. Got my first glasses shortly after that.

About 10-12 years later, I woke one morning and all I saw from my left eye was flashes of light. I knew it was serious and contacted my ophthalmologist. The next day, I had laser surgery for a tear in the retina. I was told that within 1-2 days the tear would have become a detached retina which requires hospitalization and surgery.

Since the laser surgery, I have developed floaters in both eyes with the left eye having the most and worst ones. I have posted on Polk re my cataract surgery for both eyes, and the surgery returned my vision to almost 20-20. I do wear reading glasses. My father suffered from Age-Related Macular Degeneration and the doctor is trying to prevent this terrible disease in my eyes.

At this time, my doctor has me taking he AREDS2 (Age-Related Eye Disease Studies) formula of supplements developed by the National Eye Institute. There is one exception to the suggested dosages contained in the formula. I am taking 25 mgs extra of Lutein.

One thing that I have noticed is my vision is more impacted by the floaters (and my tinnitus is worse) when sinus pressure and congestion is an issue which is usually caused by an allergy.

Note: I have a yearly checkup with my ophthalmologist.

https://www.nei.nih.gov/research/clinical-trials/age-related-eye-disease-studies-aredsareds2/aredsareds2-frequently-asked-questions

These are the supplements I am taking.

Emlyn

My optometrist recommended I start taking Macuhealth a couple years ago in my mid-50s. He spotted a few small deposits called drusen in the central parts of my retinas. Drusen are deposits of waste material that the eyes don't clear over time. These things come and go over a lifetime but eventually they can accumulate and cause central visiion loss. I didn't really notice any problems myself.

On my last checkup the drusen had reduced but I also notice that I no longer experience any glare when driving at night. One pill a day. The optometrist did say that he's starting to recommend that everyone consider using a lutein supplement given modern diets don't provide most people with enough nutrients for proper eye health. Eating spinach at least once a week also helps.

https://www.amazon.com/Macuhealth-MacuHealth-90ct/dp/B00CD8WAKK?pd_rd_w=1aEYL&content-id=amzn1.sym.c15e5526-d433-4ac0-a393-a3f3f7218fab&pf_rd_p=c15e5526-d433-4ac0-a393-a3f3f7218fab&pf_rd_r=Z07NHNGEC0943YQVEST6&pd_rd_wg=JPreI&pd_rd_r=f2ad5682-6587-4196-b4e7-ae87c84ff6dd&pd_rd_i=B00CD8WAKK&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_d_grid_rp_0_1_ec_t

pitdogg2

All that stuff is in my daily vitiman for men over 50. Glad to hear it is all helping.

schwarcw

aprazer402 wrote: »

@sucks2beme

He will have to inject a gas bubble into my eye as my body will not replace the vitreous gel immediately. The gas bubble is to place pressure against the retina while my body makes replacement vitreous fluid/gel.

THIS IS THE BAD: He said I will have to lay on my side 50 minutes of every hour! 24 hours a day, FOR 5-6 WEEKS!

I experienced exactly what you described. I had a detached retina in the first days of the Covid lockdowns and had emergency eye surgery. This major university hospital was basically closed. Nurses and Security met me wearing hazmet suits. Crazy times! The recovery from this surgery is hard but it works. I regained the vast majority of my eyesight. Good luck!

seeclear

Harry, just so you know, that nature made supplement you are taking is intended to be taked IN ADDITION TO a regular daily multivitamin. So if you're not taking one of those too you are not getting the full complement of vitamin/supplement found to be effective in the Age Related Eye Disease 2 study. FWIW.

BlueBirdMusic

^^^^
@seeclear, Thanks I didn't know that.