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Original poster

I'm going blind!

12 replies

tuppenceworth · 27/02/2006 15:06

Just had a routine eye test and the rather gorgeous optician said I had holes in my retina and that he was going to refer me to hospital as a routine precaution! I don't want to worry before I have to but I've just googled it and they're talking about lasers through the pupil and detatched retinas and stuff like that!!

Any ophthalmologists on here who can put my mind at rest? I was a bit too taken aback to actually absorb what he was saying.

OP posts:

buffythenappyslayer · 27/02/2006 15:09

did he say how the holes have happened?im not an expert or anything.my ds1 has a detatched retina.

JoolsToo · 27/02/2006 15:13

did he mention retinoschisis?

I have that - are you short-sighted? apparently its quite common in myopics.

It does sound quite scarey and believe me, I was for a while but now I'm not. I have had loads of laser treatment to stop the tears getting any bigger.

Please don't worry - if I can answer any questions I will

JoolsToo · 27/02/2006 15:14

ps - you're NOT going blind

Original poster

tuppenceworth · 27/02/2006 15:30

I've worn glasses since I was 16 (I'm now 28) and the last test was two years ago. I can never remember which way round it is - short or long sighted - I can see things close up but not far away ?! He seemed surprised that it had never been mentioned to me before, then he got worried that my face seemed familiar and that he did my last test because that would have meant he was the one who missed it! I've not had any symptoms, no floaters, no blurriness, just a routine eye test.

I know I'm not going blind really, well maybe I will one day, it's just the sudden suggestion that there's something wrong with my eyes that might require surgery. I'm not squeamish, I can watch open heart surgery and post mortems no problem, but you show me an eye operation, even cataract surgery, and I'll turn away. It just makes my stomach flip!

OP posts:

Original poster

tuppenceworth · 27/02/2006 15:32

JoolsToo - I don't remember him mentioning retinoschisis but that's not to say he didn't. Do you have the same thing? How long have you had it? How was it discovered? Does the surgery hurt?

OP posts:

JoolsToo · 27/02/2006 15:45

Hi
(sounds like you are short-sighted - can't see things in the distance without specs) - as I said its a short-sight condition. Yes, I have retinoschisis - it's little tears in your retina. I've had it for about 7 years now. Mine are at the outside edges - both eyes. It was my optician who spotted it too and I didn't then or now see any difference in my vision, its just things going on inside you that you know nothing about - scarey! I had laser surgery which I thought closed the tear up but apparently it just seals the edges so they don't tear any further. Laser treatment is uncomfortable rather than painful. It's an extremely bright light flashing directly into your eye - think of looking directly into the sun and you get the idea! Depends how much damage as to how long it goes on for.
My consultant told me lots of people have it but never know but I'm thankful my optician spotted it and I've had treatment - it'll probably stop me getting problems later!

Original poster

tuppenceworth · 27/02/2006 15:55

Thank you for your post Jools! It's really helped! I think I could cope with lasers from what you described. Just as long as there are no scalpels or suckers it'll be fine, I think.

It's one of those things that is frightening when it's out of the blue but then you talk to people who have a similar thing and you realise it's not as bad as you first thought. I'm going back in an hour for a contact lens fitting so it can't be that bad or else the hunky optician would have directed me straight to the hospital and said no to lenses. Least it gives me another opportunity to letch over him! He has a sexy smile and wears nice aftershave!

OP posts:

JoolsToo · 27/02/2006 16:04

every cloud has a silver lining!

(ask him if he thinks its retinoshisis)

QueenMab · 27/02/2006 16:08

I've had detached retinas to both eyes - detachments can make you blind but don't worry, if they thought you had a detachment they would definitely have sent you to hospital the same day. Myopia (short-sighted) makes your retinas proine to all sorts of problems (I was told!)

pookey · 27/02/2006 19:26

DP is an eye specialist and he says don't worry about it! He also said to add that he is sexy and wears nice aftershave to (ba boom)

Original poster

tuppenceworth · 27/02/2006 22:44

The contact lens fitter was a different person - a middle aged woman and not the hunky bloke with the nice aftershave and sexy smile!!

Have calmed down a bit thanks to the reassuring advice you've given me, thank you!!

On the plus side, I'm now sitting here typing wearing soft monthly disposables and it feels great that I can see without specs! Hurrah!

OP posts:

jac34 · 27/02/2006 22:52

Tuppenceworth,
Your lucky they have noticed it and it can be very easily corrected,so I wouldn't worry.
The doctor at the eye hospital told me that when your short sighted,your eye ball is stretched into sort of a rugby ball shape.This makes the retina thin and prone to these little holes.

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