My day took an unexpected turn
when I attended a precautionary
though not worrisome optometrist appointment.
The symptoms of something not quite right in one eye*,
became the symptoms of a possible detaching retina.
I perhaps should have been warned that the
necessary eye drops would make driving home inadvisable
and the outcome of the examination could end in
an immediate transfer to hospital
but otherwise my treatment was excellent.
Appointments for the rest of the day quickly postponed,
I had the eye drops to relax the eye muscles applied,
waited half an hour and then
obediently looked up, down and around,
while bright lights were shone in
and magnifying lenses positioned.
None of this was painful or difficult.
The news was good.
The retina is nice and flat but the signs
of deterioration in the viscous gel in the eye
(posterior vitreous detachment)
are marked and need a referral to an opthalmologist.
This made reassuring reading.
* Any changes in vision should be taken seriously -
my symptoms were an increase in floaters,
an intermittent blurring of vision,
a brief flash of light and a strange sensation.
This is not a definitive list.
Speed is of the essence with detaching retinas.
This story is a case in point.
Updated to say that the hospital has already rung me
with an appointment for next week.
I'm impressed.
And just a tiny bit worried.
Updated to say that the hospital has already rung me
with an appointment for next week.
I'm impressed.
And just a tiny bit worried.
This has happened to me and I have that detachment in both eyes now. But it doesn't seem to cause any problems, as you say, except for a sensitivity to bright sunlight. The examination in hospital after the first detachment was the worst thing and I couldn't see properly for days after the bright light shone in my eye. I never went back when the second one happenend...
ReplyDeleteI am so glad the news is not bad, albeit not good. A congenital eye condition causes me to have a mild panic and a sigh whenever I see the word 'optometrist'. Well done for your alertness to the vision change.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness.......... what a day you had! Such a very informative post Lucille. Glad to know that you got seen so quickly.
ReplyDeleteLucille, be glad that you've got access to good, available care. I write this comment as someone who was first diagnosed with glaucoma when I was in my early thirties. I am thankful to always been able maintain proper health insurance over here in the States, since those long ago days.
ReplyDeleteNow nearing 70, I am still holding my own re glaucoma, with daily eye drops and regular visits to my my fabulous eye doc, who also monitors other eye stuff more regularly than I would probably otherwise have requested.
I bet your eyes will be fine. xo
I was very grateful to have been seen without charge under a new scheme whereby opticians can offer medical eye check ups, to relieve the burden on hospital eye centres.
DeleteI am so grateful for our NHS and pleased that it has looked after you well.
ReplyDeleteI always find eye exams very stressful since I have to have a bright light shone into my right eye every time.
And now we are just a tiny bit worried too..... Let's hope it's nothing terribly serious; do let us know, won't you.
ReplyDeleteNothing worse than a fellow blogger with some "health advice" but here goes (& only because TWO - not one - TWO close pals had EXACTLY the same condition and the following helped tremendously) ... Carrot Juice - and loads of it - at least three glasses a day - with added ginger or lemon for taste. Seriously... after pal number one had her eye doctor stunned pal number two took very little convincing - and one is in her mid 50's the other in her late 30's. Carrots... nom nom nom!! ♥♥♥
ReplyDeleteThank you Angy. I'm not averse to carrot juice! I'll give it a whirl.
ReplyDeleteI hope all goes well, Lucille.
ReplyDeleteI do hope the initial panic has worn off a bit and the next appointment is a lot more reassuring
ReplyDeleteAnd , as a real coward , I must conratulate on being so brave .
Yours is the second post I have read today on eye care. I hope all goes well with your exams and treatment, Lucille. I have just ordered new glasses - my vision has changed quite a lot between my thirties and forties! Go figure.
ReplyDelete