Detached retina/vitrectomy

[masegolf1978]

Anyone had one? Was the procedure successful? Time table for return to golf? Long term effect on vision, and golf specifically?
 

Supposed to have the procedure tomorrow and getting nervous.

 

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

[sunbeltgolfer]

I had a vitrectomy two and a half years ago. It was necessary after complications from cataract surgery. I wound up with a severely puckered macula.  Fortunately, I did not have a detached retina to repair. I do have several friends that have had detached retina repair and all recovered fully after surgery. The retina does add a little recovery time from just having the procedure in my case. There was some discomfort for a few days and the drops burned, but it was tolerable. For me, the worst part was the damn gas bubble in the center of my vision. Once it was gone vision was much better. This was my second  eye surgery after a cataract surgery that was a disaster.  I'm still using Lotemax gel drops to control a cyst and inflammation in that eye. My vison is close to 20/25 with some distortion of lateral lines.  I also have glaucoma and can't use high powered anti inflammatory meds in either eye. Taking me off those too soon after the cataract surgery is probably what caused all the follow issues. If you follow the doctors instructions you should have a good recovery and vision restoration. No reason to be intimidated. Good luck, I hope you have a speedy and full recovery.

[masegolf1978]

Thanks, i really appreciate it.
 

Supposed to have the procedure tomorrow morning, but they were supposed to call me today to tell me specifically when to come in. Never happened, so we’ll see if it happens tomorrow or not.

[sunbeltgolfer]

Sounds like typical "customer service" these days. Sucks that they are stringing you along with a relatively serious eye condition. The people I know that have had retina repair were run through pretty quickly once the condition was diagnosed. The procedure sounded scary to me, mainly because I've had such poor luck with medical intervention. I mean who has worse vision after cataract surgery. At one point my right eye was 20/200 and legally blind, but since the vitrectomy it has recovered sufficiently with just minor vision distortion. So you should be fine after it is done. Just a couple days of minor pain/discomfort and the annoying gas bubble. They will likely have be pretty inactive for the first week to make sure you don't detach again. For some that is the worst part.

[HackerDave]

This may be to late, but my wife had it last fall.   Detached retina during a golf round.   Played the next day and realized this was not something to fool with.  Drove 4 hrs to hospital at home and she was in the OR the next morning (essentially 6 hrs after we left the ER).   She ended up with a vitrectomy and a belt. 

 

The drops hurt like hell.   She had an abrasion during the procedure so the drops were like putting acid in her eye.  Not sure if that happens w/o the abrasion.

 

She was probably 4 months out of golf.  The biggest issue for her is double vision at the top of her backswing.   If she slows down a bit, it catches up and no issues.   Gets a little speedy and she has some issues.  

[sunbeltgolfer]

24 minutes ago, HackerDave said:

This may be to late, but my wife had it last fall.   Detached retina during a golf round.   Played the next day and realized this was not something to fool with.  Drove 4 hrs to hospital at home and she was in the OR the next morning (essentially 6 hrs after we left the ER).   She ended up with a vitrectomy and a belt. 

 

The drops hurt like hell.   She had an abrasion during the procedure so the drops were like putting acid in her eye.  Not sure if that happens w/o the abrasion.

 

She was probably 4 months out of golf.  The biggest issue for her is double vision at the top of her backswing.   If she slows down a bit, it catches up and no issues.   Gets a little speedy and she has some issues.  

The drops are bad without the abrasion. I think I've become a little immune to that over the last few years of multiple surgeries. It does feel like acid until the incision starts to heal a bit.

[masegolf1978]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I too ended up having a scleral buckle put on instead of the full vitrectomy. Simply stated, it hurt like hell, even during the surgery. (They told me they would give me a general anesthesia if i had to go back in...it was that bad.)

 

Yesterday started out ok because i think i still had some sedatives/never blockers in my system from the procedure itself. Last night was pretty much hell...

 

And you're right, the drops feel like someone is pouring everclear in my eye....

 

Anyway, feel a little better today. I was only given Tylenol. Did you guys use something stronger? Thanks again for your help. This has not been a pleasant experience.     

[sunbeltgolfer]

21 hours ago, masegolf1978 said:

Thanks for the replies, guys. I too ended up having a scleral buckle put on instead of the full vitrectomy. Simply stated, it hurt like hell, even during the surgery. (They told me they would give me a general anesthesia if i had to go back in...it was that bad.)

 

Yesterday started out ok because i think i still had some sedatives/never blockers in my system from the procedure itself. Last night was pretty much hell...

 

And you're right, the drops feel like someone is pouring everclear in my eye....

 

Anyway, feel a little better today. I was only given Tylenol. Did you guys use something stronger? Thanks again for your help. This has not been a pleasant experience.     

For my vitrectomy they put me out. There is no way I could have gotten through it with a local. I'm a little surprised that they didn't put you under and save you the grief. I'm not familiar with the buckle so can't offer any insight. I did not need any pain medication after any of my eye surgeries. It was painful for a few days, but tolerable. If you are experiencing excessive pain I would suggest you follow up with your surgeon. Of course, everyone is different and possibly this procedure lends itself to more pain, but I would check to make sure and not suffer.

[RobotDoctor]

I had a very severe injury to my right eye on Memorial Day 1982.  The injury set a chain of events from the initial cornea laceration repair to a cataract to a detached retina. I had a scleral buckle done to repair the detached retina.  The right eye is now merely a “spare tire” that would require a cornea transplant, lens implant and a lot of rehabilitation.  Even with these my sight would never be close to what it was due to the damage to the retina that happened in the winter of 1982.  There are days when the atmospheric pressure causes pain in my right eye.  Those are 4 Ibuprofen (800mg) every 6 hours.  

[masegolf1978]

On 6/9/2022 at 8:41 PM, RobotDoctor said:

I had a very severe injury to my right eye on Memorial Day 1982.  The injury set a chain of events from the initial cornea laceration repair to a cataract to a detached retina. I had a scleral buckle done to repair the detached retina.  The right eye is now merely a “spare tire” that would require a cornea transplant, lens implant and a lot of rehabilitation.  Even with these my sight would never be close to what it was due to the damage to the retina that happened in the winter of 1982.  There are days when the atmospheric pressure causes pain in my right eye.  Those are 4 Ibuprofen (800mg) every 6 hours.  

that’s what I’m trying to avoid. The waiting room before my surgery had a number of people there for their 2nd through 5th procedures…

[RobotDoctor]

2 hours ago, masegolf1978 said:

that’s what I’m trying to avoid. The waiting room before my surgery had a number of people there for their 2nd through 5th procedures…

The advancements made in ophthalmology in the last 40 years is incredible.  Here’s to good fortune you will come through this in the best possible outcome!

[tiderider]

On 6/8/2022 at 10:36 AM, masegolf1978 said:

Thanks for the replies, guys. I too ended up having a scleral buckle put on instead of the full vitrectomy. Simply stated, it hurt like hell, even during the surgery. (They told me they would give me a general anesthesia if i had to go back in...it was that bad.)

 

Yesterday started out ok because i think i still had some sedatives/never blockers in my system from the procedure itself. Last night was pretty much hell...

 

And you're right, the drops feel like someone is pouring everclear in my eye....

 

Anyway, feel a little better today. I was only given Tylenol. Did you guys use something stronger? Thanks again for your help. This has not been a pleasant experience.     

co-worker had a surgery for detached retina a few months ago and had to lie face down for several weeks with a full blindfold on ... i can't imagine something going wrong with an eye and having to do the drops/bandages/etc ... sound like a flat out nightmare ... best of luck ... 

[masegolf1978]

7 hours ago, tiderider said:

co-worker had a surgery for detached retina a few months ago and had to lie face down for several weeks with a full blindfold on ... i can't imagine something going wrong with an eye and having to do the drops/bandages/etc ... sound like a flat out nightmare ... best of luck ... 

Thanks. Because I had the buckle, I don’t have to be as diligent with the face down posturing. But it still hurts like hell, even though it’s getting better.

 

roll tide.