Won't be here for a while.

Somehow I missed this thread when you first posted it, so I'll just wish you all the best now, and I hope you have a very quick recovery. Good to have you back!
Best wishes,
Der Strom

I personally wish you all the good luck in this world. Gods willing, you will recover fully. I didn't notice the thread....now I know why you weren't active like always...

sram

Welcome back Nigel. Great to see the op went well

I wish you all the best

erm i missed it to :S i tend not to pop into the lounge much sorry. glad your ok and it went well! how did you detach it?? my money is on the wife dishing out a right hook

Just to keep you updated, I went to the hospital yesterday to have the eye checked.

The surgeon said it's looking really good, the retina is lying flat and in place, and the gas bubble is starting to dissolve away. Due to the nature of my detachment (almost completely detached, starting from the bottom) the gas used was C3F8 which is a long lasting one, and takes 6-8 weeks to dissolve. The gas has now dissolved enough to give me a curved line across the eye, but still little vision above the bubble - I suspect due to reflection off the bubbles surface. I can read a little looking straight down, completely through the bubble - but the refractive index of the gas means I focus about an inch away from the eye - the surgeon says that's a very hopeful sign, and a good indication I might get some central vision back (which isn't guaranteed if the retina had completely detached at the centre - like mine).

So I go back in around six weeks to have it evaluated, I'm currently waiting for a letter giving the exact date.

That's great news, Nigel; keep getting better, and good luck! We're rootin' for ya!

Good luck to you Mr G.

Glad to hear it's getting better.

kv

Just to keep you all up to date.

I've been to the hospital again today, a scheduled appointment, 6 weeks (actually six and a half) after the op (last visit was at two and a half weeks).

At least I was able to drive myself there and back this time.

The bubble's not gone completely yet, but it's getting smaller - shouldn't be too much longer - and he was happy with the eye again, the retina is still attached (which is obviously a good sign).

I asked about the poor vision in the eye (which I was warned about before the op), everything in that eye looks smaller (which they said it would), but large objects only look slightly smaller, with small objects looking massively smaller - for an example, a person on the TV would have a slightly smaller than normal body, and a small head

He said this is normal, and is due to the retina not perfectly bonding to the macula - but as the chances were slim I'd have any centre vision at all, it's not a bad outcome - and there's a chance it will improve over time as well.

The other issue is distortion, both vertical and horizontal - if you look at a square the edges aren't straight, they 'cog' inwards at regular intervals, in both directions.

He explained the 'cogging' is due to the retina not been flat, it's in 'waves' - and is normal after the op - it's another one of the things which 'might' improve over the next few months.

Another reason could be scarring on the retina as well, and there's a possibility of a further op to improve that - but it really depends on the degree of risk involved, and the likelyhood of significant improvment (I'll have to consider the options).

I go back again in two months or so, I'll get an appointment in the post as before - to see if there's been any further improvement, and to discuss my options.

So, doing OK - any vision is better than no vision!.

hi,
Pleased to hear you are making progress.

I have eye damage which causes horizontal lines to be wavy, takes a bit of getting used too, especially when doing technical drawings.

Like you say, any vision is better than none.

E

Good to hear that your operation is doing well.

I'm still waiting on my other eye to get worse before I get another operation. It feels weird to be unbalanced vision. Good "Far" in one and good "Near" in the other.

Again, better than nothing.

kv

Hi Nigel,
I am sorry to hear about your vision problems but am happy that you have some vision that is improving.
Maybe I was lucky with my cataracts operations because now my vision is absolutely perfect (like high definition TV).
My eye doc says my eyes show some retina degeneration which is normal for my age but I do not have any symptoms so he sees me every 6 months (probably to collect the government pay).

I was also lucky with my heart. My cardiologist says I "graduated" since I survived for 2 years after the heart attack. He doesn't need the government pay so he now sees me only once per year. My heart is fixed and now is normal.

Just the latest update - my bubble has finally gone

They said 6 to 8 weeks, it actually took nine weeks one day.

Horray, Nigel!

Glad to hear it, Nigel! Good to have you back

Well that certainly is a nice positive. Good deal on that note Nigel. Nice to hear things are going along well.

Ron

Hey - that's great news! I'm glad to hear you're doing better!

I FELT Happy, Nigel, that you are on your own driving and the eye is near normal. Wish you Comfortable sight with stability.

Yea yesterday I got my eyes tested and my left eye is the main problem, I'll have to wait until I can scrounge up the $300 they are asking for the glass's I need so for now I'm stuck with those cheap magnifying reading glass's. The good news out of the test is no damage to my eyes but I am getting longer sighted as time goes by. I did think my long range site was OK but going into town for the test did make me realize yea the time has come as trying to read store signs from distance seemed blurry. As I live out of town the gum trees in a distance look fine but when in suburbia one does see the problems. I do suppose the cure could be just don't go into suburbia but eh only if I could.....

Regards Bryan

P.S. It is great to see your on the mend Nigel