Detached retina - anyone know anything about it.

[Enid]

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 )

I used to get mine free because my prescription was worse than -10, and there was a stage where my sight was deteriorating so rapidly (astigmatism caused by the lens breaking down) that I was having tests more often than once a year and my lovely opto-person did them all free.

Yours might too, under the circs, it's worth asking!

I had some laser treatment (cryotherapy) a few years ago to stop my retinas from detaching (I have a peripheral detachment in my left eye) but I never noticed it until I went to see someone about corrective laser treatment! This basically created scar tissue which is nice and thick and therefore will avoid detachment in the future. I go for an annual check-up at my local hospital.

By coincidence my mum has just rung to say she's going to the eye clinic at the hospital tomorrow because today, in addition to her usual small floaters, she has one huge great big one. Could this be a symptom of detached retina? From what Janh says, maybe not? What else could it be?

Hope your childminder is OK Enid. Eye stuff if always so scary.

Thanks so much ks. Hope yours turns out OK too.