Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Detached retina - anyone know anything about it.

33 replies

Enid · 11/03/2005 13:05

My childminder has been admitted to hospital this morning with a detached retina .

Hopefully they can repair it with laser surgery. If they cannot she will certainly lose the sight in that eye .

If they do manage to repair it - does anyone have any idea what the recovery time is? Can she drive? Obviously I'll hear in the next couple of days how she is but I am already planning alternative childcare -don't want to make new commitments if this is a minor operation with a quick recovery time (somehow I doubt it )

OP posts:
Original poster
Enid · 11/03/2005 13:25

bump for you lunchtimers

OP posts:
franch · 11/03/2005 13:30

DH is an eye surgeon - I can ask him tonight if you like. I have the impression though that this is quite a major op I'm afraid

Original poster
Enid · 11/03/2005 13:32

thats what I thought . Thank you so much for asking Franch.

If things turn out badly I am dreading how I am going to break it to the dds . She may only be achildminder but she comes to our house and is one of our most loved members of our 'family'.

OP posts:
franch · 11/03/2005 13:32

So sorry to hear that Enid. Fingers crossed for her.

franch · 11/03/2005 13:33

PS: You can CAT me if you like - I could then forward the email to DH which means I'm less likely to forget to ask him

throckenholt · 11/03/2005 13:36

a friend had it at university - it happens very suddnely - sometimes as a result of a head injury. She was in hospital for a few days I think. Pretty sure she had the laser surgery (it was in the late 80's). She didn't lose her sight.

She didn't drive so I have no idea how long that sort of thing takes.

Original poster
Enid · 11/03/2005 13:36

thanks will do when I get home later x e

OP posts:
princesspeahead · 11/03/2005 13:38

my mum had this when I was a child. didn't lose her sight. needs good quick specialist care though. I think she was about 2 weeks recovering before she went back to work, but I can't really remember - you'll certainly need alt childcare for a while....
bad luck her! hope it all goes OK.

Original poster
Enid · 11/03/2005 13:40

now this is when a supportive MIL would come in very handy

OP posts:
throckenholt · 11/03/2005 13:41

a quick google search suggests that it is more common in people with short sight.

Also suggest if treated quickly then can have complete recovery, but need to "rest" for 10 days or more.

Definitely need to sort out alternative childcare short-term, but probably not long-term.

Janh · 11/03/2005 14:05

My brother had one a few years ago, enid, and the other retina was fixed at the same time to make sure that it wouldn't detach. I can't remember the details now, although it was a family drama at the time, but his vision is as good now as it was before the detachment.

The most likely to have one are the middle-aged short-sighted so I take quite an interest and always have mine checked at eye-tests!

The bits I've read say the recovery of vision depends mostly on which bit of the retina was affected and how long it was detached for - if the centre, and not fixed quickly, then there can be a permanent central blind spot, otherwise the outlook is pretty good, but still several days at the very best.

chipmonkey · 11/03/2005 14:14

Enid, usually about 2 weeks recovery, driving can be down to individual cases, depending on recovery and how good the other eye is.

suedonim · 11/03/2005 16:49

Dh had suspected detached retinas a couple of years ago. He was told not to lift/carry anything heavy and to avoid bending down as that increased pressure on the eye. However, that advice was in Indonesia, so it may be different in the UK!

chipmonkey · 11/03/2005 17:27

was coming back on because I forgot about the lifting, which might affect picking up kids, but suedonim beat me to it!

chipmonkey · 11/03/2005 17:27

was coming back on because I forgot about the lifting, which might affect picking up kids, but suedonim beat me to it!

franch · 12/03/2005 12:34

Rule of thumb for any eye op: at least 10 days. If you can give me any more details, I can give you a better idea - but I expect your childminder's doctor will have advised her on this by now. Do CAT me if you need to.

ks · 02/10/2005 20:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

expatinscotland · 02/10/2005 20:16

It's a long recovery. A work colleague had it, needed emergency surgery, was out of work for a month - eternity by American standards. Luckily, she retained the sight in that eye and recovered fully. No, she cannot drive! The patient has to stay w/their hanging in one position for a while.

jolly4 · 02/10/2005 20:18

just found this i suddenly developed like a litle blood clot in the white of my eye any one know what causes this i feel slighly irritated by it slighly raised not viens just a little clot

Sexonlegs · 02/10/2005 21:29

I think it depends on how quickly they catch it, but no driving for a while and as someone else mentioned, the patient has to sit with their head in one position for a fortnight I think.

Janh · 02/10/2005 21:38

ks, I am (well, used to be) v short-sighted and have billions of floaters, and my brother (less short-sighted) had a detached retina about 10 years ago, so I am as likely as anyone to get one, but it's chancy.

My brother had both his retinas fixed and has been fine ever since.

Floaters alone don't necessarily signify. From what my optician says flashing lights are the big warning. She does a proper dilated-pupil back-of-eye test twice a year and my retinas are always fine-touch-wood.

HTH

snafu · 02/10/2005 21:40

My dad had this last year. The worst part was definitely post-op - sitting with his head in one position for two weeks (put a cushion on the table, head on cushion, change sides every hour or two, iirc) - pretty tedious and depressing. Poor old dad.

But no loss of sight, full recovery and driving again after approx 4 weeks, I think.

mummyhill · 02/10/2005 21:56

Grandfather had it afer and accident whilst playing water polo and didn't even realise, not that they could do anything about it at that thime. He only found out he had lost the sight in his eye when he went on a bike ride and got something in his other eye and was effectivley blind for a short period. He was driving again very soon after the event.

FIL has had both of his become detached and had successful surgery, however one did become detached again after twelve months and it was not possible to reattach due to severe scaring. He is able to drive but is suffering from depression and refuses to.

In most cases it can be fixed and many people are driving again after about 4 weeks depending on their confidence levels.

ks · 02/10/2005 23:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Janh · 02/10/2005 23:09

Hello, chuck

Your GP can't do any more - as you've had the dilating drops in and the opto-person has had a good look at the back of your eye, that's all anybody can do atm. If you are really anxious you could press for more frequent testing, I'm sure the optometrist would be happy to oblige.

It would be nice if they could somehow pre-empt the problem and anchor the retina in a person who seemed more likely to suffer detachment, but they don't like to interfere inside eyes - understandably - just be alert.