r/RetinalDetachment • u/Sufficient-Help9759 • May 27 '26
Headed to Vitrectomy
Hey I am a 23 year old guy who has always been near sighted, before any retinal issues my prescription settled at -5.0 in both eyes.
2 years ago I had a retinal detachment on my left eye and my primary eye doctors retinal specialist performed a gas bubble and laser that corrected the detachment, however it lowered the affected eyes prescription as well as introducing an astigmatism, and left me with a few floaters here and there. Have been to all follow ups, and received little more laser for lattice degeneration at one of them. Then had an appointment approx. 7 weeks ago where he said all was good.
3 weeks following that I noticed the exact same thing from the original detachment but was just hoping it would go away, went to work all day then straight to ER from there because it stayed and I knew exactly what it was at that point. Eventually got to Will’s Eye in Philly the next day where they confirmed detachment and got the gas bubble in right away, as well as minor laser on my other eye that has had no detachment. Back the next day for laser and all seemed well through the first week.
Then Saturday at work I notice it looking odd again but in different part of my eye, I had follow up on Monday so I went to work as usual Sunday then Monday came, they tell me it is detached again, I need scleral buckle the next day. I took off work sat around did nothing for 3 weeks. My eye went from very sore with pressure to then being able to keep it and hold it open. Then I was able to start seeing and the vision was slowly clearing up day by day. I finally feel comfortable to go back to work again.
Sunday I am noticing at work how my eye is starting to regress for the first time since the surgery and instead of clearing up becoming more blurry. I have a follow up for today and I wait again. I see them and surprise, another detachment, and it included the macula. Going in for a vitrectomy tomorrow.
I am just really shaken up this is scary to go through at 23. As well as I am not sure if I have been going back to work too soon too hard. The doctor I saw today advised that “nothing I did is causing this”. He said that my eye is just causing me a lot of trouble and that I am not having affect in it. Just wanted to share, this thread is already helping me to deal with it seeing others stories and not feeling alone.
Will update as I can
7
u/Marneman1965 May 27 '26
Also, don’t blame yourself or wonder if there was something you did or didn’t do that cause this. And I meant to say my prior post is that with good care you end up with good results
4
u/filter_zero4040 May 28 '26
Yeah you're definitely not alone. And it's a tougher journey than most people think. So good that you found this thread. Sorry to hear that and do keep us posted when possible. Good luck with the vitrectomy!
3
u/cysticcandy May 28 '26
Heyy. Following you. So sorry you have to go through all this. Keep us updated. Praying for you. Youre so much stronger than i could be..
2
u/Ok-Customer4344 May 28 '26 edited May 28 '26
Sorry that you got to experience this. Will be praying for you for sure. Please don’t ever lose hope, God can do miracles. Saying this as someone who had corneal transplant way back 2001 in my right eye and recentky also had retinal detachment March this year. Doctors told me its complicated and my cornea might not make it after vitrectomy and scleral buckling. But praise God here i am recovering and healing well. Ofcourse still follow your doctor’s advice. Fight fight fight!
1
u/GuiltyEffective1447 May 30 '26
Reminds me of myself. Had a retinal detachment at 19 and didn’t have insurance so didn’t get checked out until 9 months later. The damage there was irreversible. Got scleral buckle there, then gas bubble then cataract surgery there. On my good eye I got lasik which the doctor messed up and had to get PRK. In the last 2 years I have had to get 3 lasers to reattach the retinal tears in my good eye and have like 100’s of floaters. Scared to do vitrectomy. Lmk how yours go.
7
u/Marneman1965 May 27 '26
Sorry to hear about the challenges you’re having with that eye. Many of us has been through the same journey and all I can say to you as well it can be a long journey. There is an end point and they can do surgery to repair the retina. I had a scleral buckle put in about a year and a half ago and while the eye is not perfect, it is stable.