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It may not be serious, and apparently, it may not actually be surgery, but that’s how it was described to me. He has a detached retina, he noticed it two days ago but didn’t think much of it (that’s my Dad ); this morning he was talking about it, and after finding out (online) that it probably was a detached retina and that he was supposed to see someone “right away” he made an appointment.
I just got a call from my Mom, it is a detached retina and he just went in for this non-surgery surgery 30 minutes ago (all my Mom knew was “something with a laser”). He’ll be out in a few hours, and if it goes all right he’ll come home, and if not, he’ll go into Denver (about an hour away) and have “real surgery”. So now I’m curious and I have some questions for the doctors here:
If untreated this can lead to blindness (right)? How much impact does waiting for two days have?
What exactly is this procedure?
Is it normally successful (assuming you know what my crap description was talking about)?
Is this more serious surgery normally effective? What would it entail?
If we assume it gets fixed, what condition will he be in today (physically, not mentally)
If it gets fixed do we have to worry long-term about anything, or is it just fixed?
What happens if this doesn’t work?
Sorry for all the questions, I don’t like taking advantage of the free time the knowledgeable people here on Hatrack give so don’t feel obligated to answer, I’m just curious. Hobbes
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I have a friend who's retina was in danger of detaching after he got hit in the face with a waterpolo ball and he had to lie flat in bed and stare at the ceiling for 2 weeks. Couldn't watch TV or anything cause it involved using his eyes.
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My Dad was with me the whole time watching the Tour this morning, he was up a few feet away from the TV for part of it, but he tends to do that when the Tour gets exciting anyways.
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from what I have heard it is not a big deal. It can be bad if you don't get it fixed, but I don't think the two days should matter, unless he was unlucky.
I think there is some risk of scar tissue which can mess up your vision in that eye, though I would guess that this would be more of a problem with the normal surgury rather than laser surgury.
I am not a doctor...but I have known a few athletes that have gotten detached retinas from getting hit in the face/head, and they did not have problems once it was fixed.
Chances are he will be fine…though after the surgery I believe he will have to wear a patch over his eye for a little while, so you can make fun of him and call him a pirate.
quote:Retinal detachment occurs when the multilayer neurosensory retina separates from the underlying retinal pigment epithelium and choroid. This separation can occur passively due to accumulation of fluid between these two layers, or it may occur actively due to vitreous traction on the retina.
Any separation between the neurosensory retina and the underlying choroidal circulation results in a highly ischemic state and rapid and progressive photoreceptor degeneration. The amount of photoreceptor degeneration and loss of vision can be minimized by rapid diagnosis and treatment [1-3]. Without treatment, most retinal detachments result in an eventual complete loss of vision
quote:Without treatment, most retinal detachments will progressively enlarge, resulting in an eventual complete loss of vision. Thus, treatment is indicated for all patients.
Patients who present with a full thickness retinal break and a small retinal detachment can be treated with a delimiting laser or cryoretinopexy barrier. The chorioretinal scar created with these procedures may hold the retinal detachment in place and prevent it from spreading and threatening the macula.
Patients who present with a frank rhegmatogenous retinal detachment will require other techniques in order to reattach the retina. These techniques include a pneumatic retinopexy, a temporary peribulbar balloon, scleral buckle placement, and/or pars plana vitrectomy.
This is all from UpToDate, a doctor's resource. There are so many kinds of detachments, and these surgeries are hard to explain, maybe I'll just stop here unless you have more specific questions.
I'm so glad he went in as quickly as he did, and the fact that they are starting with the laser suggests that it may be rather small at this point.
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Thanks for the info! It's good to know he could come out of this without anything permanent. It's kind of scary what the other alternitives are though.
He's back home now, he feels fine, he's not wearing an eye patch (I told him he lucked out on the pirate jokes ) and people seem to think it works (though he has to go in for an appoitment next week to check).
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); this morning he was talking about it, and after finding out (online) that it probably was a detached retina and that he was supposed to see someone “right away” he made an appointment.
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) and people seem to think it works (though he has to go in for an appoitment next week to check). 
