General Chat

Howdy Daff. The mum and sis are very well, ta. I'm the problematic one now. Just got back from seeing the retinal surgeon, 6 weeks after he re-did my lens implant (cataract surgery), did a vitrectomy to remove all the debris from inside my eye, and removed the scar tissue from my retina. All from a horribly botched cateract surgery just over two year ago.

And now, because of the size of the incision that had to be made to get the first implanted lens out and put the new one in properly, my cornea is distorted and I have astigmatism so bad I can't see anything. My horror has been ending up unable to read without glasses. (I've spent 50 yeasr being unable to walk 5 feet without glasses lest I fall over something, so I'm used to that.) And that is exactly what the outcome has been. Apart from the fact I'll need several (reading, computer, television, driving) different pairs of very expensive astigmatism-fixing glasses. Oh, and of course I also have glaucoma in that eye now from the steroids needed because of pseudophakic cystoid macular edema (ha, google that) caused by the botched surgery in the first place ...

The good part, of course, is that the limitation for medical malpractice lawsuits is 2 years, which is now over. Or 2 years from when I knew or ought to have known about the malpractice, and I'm going to say that was 6 months ago when I first saw the retinal surgeon.

Hey, you asked! And I'm afraid I'm not seeing the funny side of this one just yet, so there, you get my whine. ;)

Sorry to hear about your "eye" problems, Janey.

Sue x

Oh heck, I was really just trying to impress y'all with the fact that I can say things like pseudophakic cystoid macular edema!

But yeah, it really is the pits, so ta too. ;)

I know you don't like sympathy Janey but that is rotten for you. Does it have to be all separate glasses or can some double up like varifocal. I have astigmatism and have varifocals but I appreciate your may be too bad for that. I hope at least you can win enough to pay for some really expensive flash specs.

All *may* not be lost. It may be possible to make a couple of incisions in the cornea to balance the one made for the lens implant ... I'd been googling, so when Mr. Hot-shot Surgeon today kept saying I had to go back to my ophthalmologist now, and there may be "options", I said, you mean like incisions in the cornea? and he said yes. Oh, like I want somebody b*ing around in my eye again.

Definitely will have to have bifocals -- driving + reading, TV + reading, computer + reading. (The danged thing is that I'd been severely near-sighted since I was 8, but when I started needing the bifocals, I had also already needed different strengths for so many different distances -- not just (1)distance and (2)reading, but driving, television, monitor, reading.) So those are *very* expensive, then, and the public health plan over here doesn't cover glasses at all, and I'm self-employed with no private plan. I hate the graduated lenses - no peripheral vision, makes me nuts.

I suspect I have now said all there is to say about my stupid eye, and well more than anybody else can read without their own eyes glazing over!

All together now: That Sucks! Taken as read. ;)

Aw Janey... yep, it sucks. More than sucks. I have a slight worsening (to do with the treatment) and I was a bit peeved about that.... I can only attempt to imagine how you must be feeling, and know I am not anywhere near close to knowing how you feel right now.

I know you don't do them, but hell, I'm good at them.... and they are truly meant.... so ((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))) for you... I'm not so good with words.

Loads of love

Daff xxxxx

ps... my optician told me about new specs (varifocals) which give very good peripherals..... but your vision might be too different between the two eyes... sorry, not explaining well..... had a bit of wine! xxxxxxx

I think maybe I'll just take that long blonde wig my mum got last Hallowe'en in prep for the chemo (no, she didn't wear it - except to the Hallowe'en party in her seniors building) -- and swoop it down over that eye Veronica-Lake style, and that will solve the problem!

Stop being so sympathetic now. I'm mad as h and going to sue, that's what I am!

Veronica Lake, for those too young to know - or whose fathers didn't call them that when they tried to get their waist-long teenaged hair to do something other than just hang there ...

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/filmnoir/femmeweb/VeronicaLake.jpg

Janey I've just googled the pseudophakic cystoid thingo and while not claiming to understand it too well I do sympathise. It doesn't sound like much fun.

Sue xx

Edit - funny how a thread can turn into something totally different:-)))

Ah, but this thread always was all about moi! ;)

Or about the whisperer about moi ..........

Maybe Tree regrets having listened, now!

Could you pm me your prescription Janey?

Ah yes, the expert is in your household, LK!

I don't have one yet. Mr. Hot-shot Surgeon doesn't do those things. I have to go back to my ophthalmologist for that (*not* the one who originally botched the cataract surgery, the one the optometrist who measured the pressure in my eye last fall referred me to, after she got up off the floor).

I forgot to call him for an apptmt today ... first, had to go downtown and renew my expired health card ... aaargh ... but am supposed to see him w/in the month. So I'll let you know! I was -6.50 in both eyes as a adult, no astigmatism, then got slightly less myopic but needed bifocals, and since the cataract surgery was something like -1.50 in the good eye and -2.50 in the bad eye - which means the good eye can't read without +2.00, and the bad eye could read fine. Other than having all the goop swirling around in it.

For anyone wondering: LK's OH's diagnosis of my condition last month was: BLOODY HELL!!

;)

No comment!!

There so should be moderators but volunteers??????????? No way!!

Wind up.. me thinks!

There are some varifocals better than others at giving periphery vision. I do not know how things work where you are but we would give a guaranteed trial of a varifocal and a refund if it did not work. If you like I will pm brand to look for when you need it.
Today they decided I do not have glaucoma but still do not know what is going on. Still have neurology and Transient Ischaemia clinics to attend after my recent episode. I also have a high blood pressure reading today. Mind you we did have a crash on our way to the hospital.

A crash on your way to hospital ... I think we must be separated at birth!

I was waiting for a cab once in Montreal to go to hospital for a minor scheduled procedure; cab pulled up, there'd been an ice storm, I was sitting at the top of the flight of outside steps Montreal duplexes have going up to the second floor ... I stood up, slipped, and threw myself down the entire flight. To the Montreal General! I said to the cabbie. People at the hospital were sure I was there for the 8-inch swollen bruise on my thigh. Nah, that was just the decoration. (I'd already broken that thigh bone clean through when I was seven; once was enough.)

Got some BP meds yesterday finally, to get back with the program ... have to redo the blood tests before any more, to see whether the banana-eating has got the potassium up yet ...

Hope they figure out your eye problem soon. Glad for you it wasn't glaucoma!


It will be a fair while before I actually go for the new specs, but do go ahead and PM me your recommended brand and I'll keep it on file, thanks!