Fractured eye socket and possible eye damage: not sure where to go or what to do?

[sydenhamhiller]

Hi all, looking for the usual sage advice from MN.

On Saturday I had a silly accident on our trampoline (don’t...), and smashed my eye on my knee.

Initially we thought I had just gashed my eye brow so went to our local minor injuries clinic. They suspected fractured eye socket, and did not have appropriate x Ray, so we went off to Lewisham. After 9 hours, an x Ray, a CT scan a beautiful job of 5 stitches on my eyebrow, I was sent home at midnight and told to report to Kings the next day, where I would be seen by the opthalmology and max fax department.

The ophthalmologist saw me first. I have very bad double vision, luckily apparently no damage to retina or optic nerve. But eye won’t track up and down, so ophthalmologist said (no false comfort) I might have permanent damage to eye muscle, and i’ll Probably get referred for prisms on my glasses.

Couple hours later I saw the max fax guy (and lovely lovely registrar came down to see me too). All slightly jollier here, let’s not worry until all swelling comes down, but might have to operate on your eye socket, and of course always a risk of blindness (never regretted life decision so much).

So, have now had 2 days of trying to think positive and waiting for swelling to go down, and appointment letters to hit the mat after the Bank holiday.

But was slightly concerned that 2 departments didn’t seem joined up. Friend’s dad, retired eye consultant, strongly recommends Moorfields Eye Hospital.

I don’t know what to do. I’ve been lucky enough to only need hospitals for birth of my 3 children. Should I move? But can they deal with cheekbone as well as eye? Should won get a 2nd opinion? How do you do that (and not piss anyone off?).

I think I am spiralling slightly: still in shock that a silly decision to jump on trampoline has resulted in possible vision problems for life, and possible need for surgery on eye socket and small chance of going blind! On plus side, it does mean I am totally not bothered about the new facial scar...

Sorry so long.

Moorfields is world class. Best place to go IMHO.

Yeah, get a referral to Moorfields

In the good old days, Doctors took decisions on your behalf and you had to trust that they were doing the right thing. Nowadays you have to give consent, but you can only give consent if you are fully informed so unfortunately they have to tell you every last permutation and eventuality.
They are covering their backsides. Just because something could go wrong doesn't mean that it will go wrong.
Good luck.

Hi Op following your type of injury you are most likely to have something called a “blow out” fracture in your eye socket (orbit). The bone at the bottom of the eye socket and the side nearest the nose are very thin and can fracture. When this happens tissue around the extra ocular muscles which move the eye can get trapped in the fracture preventing the eye from moving. You will normally have a lot of swelling around the eye due to damage to the soft tissue, this swelling can also be responsible for some of the double vision as this can also prevent the eye from moving. Soft tissue damage will improve on it’s own, if you have muscle entrapment in the fracture this can need surgery to release the trapped tissue and restore eye movement. So the treatment you need will depend on if you have entrapment in the fracture. For this type of condition it helps if the ophthalmologist you see is one who specialises in eye movement disorders and you should be seen by an orthoptist as well to assess and manage your double vision. I’m an orthoptist and regularly see people who have this sort of injury so can try and answer any other questions you have

Aw, thanks for the replies everyone.

@Rodders92, thanks for that long post, I appreciate it. Yes, ‘blow out fracture’ is a new addition to my vocabulary! I saw the max fax and orthoptuc dept at Kings yesterday, and as my double vision is still present but improved (now more 1.5 than double 😉), max fax will see me next week to see whether they will operate or not, and orthoptics will see me again in about 3 weeks, as really it’s damage to one eye muscle that is causing this, and that would be a max fax thing apparently.

So fingers crossed! Thanks for the reassurance, I am grateful.

I went to see my GP on Wednesday, to talk about being referred to moorfields for 2nd opinion, but actually, quite happy with my treatment at Kings thus far - their maxfax department apparently has a very good reputation. But thanks all x

Poor you. My mum fractured her super orbital bone in a riding accident last year and had it replaced with a titanium plate. Her eyeball was dislodged and she had double vision but now 6 months on shes fine a d would not know it had happened. Took about 3 months for the vision to settle to normal after the op though. Good luck, poor you..

@GothMummy thank you, glad it has ended well for your mum. How did she cope with the double vision? I am finding it really debilitating, even just getting things done round the house!