Detached retina treatment

[3STTW]

So I was out shopping with the missus yesterday and suddenly got this weird sh!t floating around in my right eye. Once I realized it was internal, I went to the BPH and they've booked me in for a retinal scan next week.

I've been Googling and it appears I have all the symptoms of a detached retina.

Has anyone had this, and any experience of getting it treated?

[AreYouGerman]

https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a35795194/michael-bisping-ufc-clinically-blind-detached-retina-artificial-eye-steve-o/

 

He still went on and became champion, with one eye only!

[Sheryl]

Moved to health forum.

 

Retinal detachment is an emergency.

 

However from what you say, you might just have age-related floaters. These are common and usually require no treatment (and as annoying as they seem, your brain will soon learn to ignore them).

 

New onset of floaters does warrant a retinal exam but it is not as super urgent as  classic signs of detachment would be (flashes of light, reduction in visual field, blurred vision). If any of the former occur, go straight to an emergency room of a large hospital.

[CharlieH]

rutnin.com

Rutnin Eye Hospital

80/1 Asok (Sukhumvit 21) Road, Watthana, Bangkok 10110

+66 2 056 3333

 

• Specialization: It was Thailand’s first hospital specializing exclusively in ophthalmology, providing medical and surgical care for the eyes.
• Ophthalmologists: More than 39 ophthalmologists with degrees from Thailand, Canada, and the United States work at the hospital.
• Advanced Technology: The hospital invests in the latest technology to ensure high standards of safety and quality care for patients’ eyes.
• Services: Rutnin Eye Hospital offers comprehensive eye care services, including complex procedures and surgeries².

[treetops]

Yes, I had it done in BPH over a year ago.  They poke a hole in your eyeball and stick a laser in to zap the retina back into place.

 

Mine had pulled a blood vessel with it so I needed a vitrectomy too, I don't know if that's always the case or just because I had the bleeding, but that entails putting a mini vacuum cleaner in the hole before the laser and sucking out the vitreous fluid.

 

Vitreous fluid is replaced with a gas that takes a while to disperse so no flying for several weeks afterwards. Actual time depends on the gas used.

 

Local anesthetic and I don't mind admitting I winced a few times with the laser.

Edited April 20 by treetops

[3STTW]

Apologies. In answer to AreYouGerman...

 

Yeah. Nope. That was not the advice I was looking for.

 

It's more than likely my condition is age-related, as opposed to dunce-related.

I was hoping for a more clinically informed answer.

 

Edited April 20 by 3STTW

[Mike Lister]

I had very similar 18 months ago, I woke up one morning with a large black floater in the middle of my vison in one eye. A retinal exam was done and a torn retina diagnosed, this was repaired using a laser....you shouldn't wait to have that exam, it can be done easily on a walk in basis at most good private hospitals.

 

A year letter a second floater appeared, this time in the other eye. This turned out to be age related but without the tear. I now have six monthly checks which are inexpensive and straight forward. 

 

Retinal detachment is signalled by a curtain that closes off the sight in the effected eye, and/or by lots of small floaters or sometimes one large one. The curtain effect is a big deal, don't delay in getting it inspected by capable people. Note: my retinal issues were age related. I can also recommend the Rutnin in Bangkok, it's as good as it gets anywhere on the planet.

[3STTW]

Okay, thanks for all the informed replies. What I have is a myriad of tiny dots and circles, along with strings of 'shower hair' for want of a better description. However, my peripheral vision seems to be okay and my near/far vision is blurry but still fairly good.

@Sheryl, I also read that it should be a medical emergency but BPH didn't have anything available until 25/4. I'm booked in.

@treetops @Mike Lister Thanks for the info. I have no 'curtaining' so I'll wait for the appointment and get it sorted out.

 

Big thanks.

 

[Sheryl]

24 minutes ago, 3STTW said:

Okay, thanks for all the informed replies. What I have is a myriad of tiny dots and circles, along with strings of 'shower hair' for want of a better description. However, my peripheral vision seems to be okay and my near/far vision is blurry but still fairly good.

@Sheryl, I also read that it should be a medical emergency but BPH didn't have anything available until 25/4. I'm booked in.

@treetops @Mike Lister Thanks for the info. I have no 'curtaining' so I'll wait for the appointment and get it sorted out.

 

Bi

As it sounds like more than a single floater and occurred suddenly I suggest you go directly to Rutnin in Bangkok. It is a dedicated eye hospital. 

 

Out of curiousity  did you actually go to A&E at BPH or just call?  The people who field phone calls are usually just clerks without medical training and making appointments is about all they do. 

[rexpotter]

All good advice from the staff here.

 

[3STTW]

@Sheryl I went to the Eye Clinic at BPH Pattaya and had a sight test, eye pressure test, blood pressure test and an inspection by a clinician who decided she wasn't an opthamologist on that occasion. I have a feeling she may have been filling in over Songkran.

Hence the advice to make a later appointment.

[Sheryl]

3 minutes ago, 3STTW said:

@Sheryl I went to the Eye Clinic at BPH Pattaya and had a sight test, eye pressure test, blood pressure test and an inspection by a clinician who decided she wasn't an opthamologist on that occasion. I have a feeling she may have been filling in over Songkran.

Hence the advice to make a later appointment.

It remains the best advice to go to Rutnin.

 

Failing that you could try a trip to A&E at BPH. Not the Eye Center -- A&E.

 

 

[3STTW]

@Sheryl Noted and thanks for the advice. Given that the retinal exam requires iris dilation - which means I will not be able to drive for 12-24 hrs - I'll try to get an earlier appointment at BPH Pattaya.

 

Failing that, I'll get in touch with Rutnin.

 

Edited April 20 by 3STTW

[Pouatchee]

1 hour ago, 3STTW said:

So I was out shopping with the missus yesterday and suddenly got this weird sh!t floating around in my right eye. Once I realized it was internal, I went to the BPH and they've booked me in for a retinal scan next week.

I've been Googling and it appears I have all the symptoms of a detached retina.

Has anyone had this, and any experience of getting it treated?

 

i had a tear in my retina and as a result many 'floaters' just like you describe. however, i had flashes of bright light and this is what prompted me to rush to the hospital. if you dont have flashes of light it might not be a detached retina, as i think you would have the flashes of light.

 

did you lift anything heavy lately? sometimes this combined with other factors can cause floaters to manifest.

 

if you start seeing the flashes of light... dont mess around...

 

Quote

Given that the retinal exam requires iris dilation - which means I will not be able to drive for 12-24 hrs 

 

i regularly get iris dilation single/both eyes and drive right after my examination... just make sure you have uv sunglasses

[steve187]

in 2011 one morning walking down the stairs i had a really bright flash, went to rayong bangkok hospital (RBH), was told to come back in 2 weeks for a further check up, before the 2 weeks were up riding as a passenger in a car i lost the sight completely in that eye, went back to RBH this was a Tuesday, was told to attend Pattaya Bangkok Hospital (PBH) on the Saturday as i had a detached retina, instead my wife drove me to Rama hospital Bangkok where i saw a DR Somsiri (https://www.bumrungrad.com/doctors/Somsiri) she referred my to EENT hospital ( https://eent.co.th/) where she operated the following day, to repair the tear, refill with gas etc. since then i have not had any further problems other than a cataract op. 

op do not delay get it sorted asap don't wait for BPH, as i did with RBH and as a result lost vision in that only albeit only temporarily, i can not recommend DR Somsiri highly enough, she works at other hospitals as well as EENT and Bumrungrad, from memory i think she works at EENT on Saturday and Sunday, go somewhere today and get it checked out, best of luck

Edited April 21 by steve187

[connda]

If you see squares you all good.  If your seeing warped surfaces you may want to find an eye doctor asap.

[Pouatchee]

3 hours ago, steve187 said:

in 2011 one morning walking down the stairs i had a really bright flash, went to rayong bangkok hospital (RBH), was told to come back in 2 weeks for a further check up

 

poor you... very lucky in the end. the doctor who told you to come back in 2 weeks could have cost you an eye... idiot. when i had my flashes of light i rushed to the hospital to see my eye doctor. she stopped all she was doing and at once proceeded to treat me with lasers. 

 

only thing is now, my eye is really itchy and i have to take eye drops. you were very fortunate steve187 👁️‍🗨️

[3STTW]

Thanks for all the really great advice everyone. I'm trying to get this sorted ASAP.

[steve187]

1 hour ago, Pouatchee said:

 

poor you... very lucky in the end. the doctor who told you to come back in 2 weeks could have cost you an eye... idiot. when i had my flashes of light i rushed to the hospital to see my eye doctor. she stopped all she was doing and at once proceeded to treat me with lasers. 

 

only thing is now, my eye is really itchy and i have to take eye drops. you were very fortunate steve187 👁️‍🗨️

DR Somsai knew i was coming ( having been contacted by a family health care member) and waited for me until 7pm ish, having to travel from Rayong, she immediately booked me into EENT and operated the next day evening time, yes i was lucky, Cataract came at an early age due to the gas, was operated in the UK

[jas007]

I had a retinal detachment back in 2017 while I was in the USA. This was about one year after cataract surgery for both eyes. Anyway, a few days before it happened I started noticing flashes of light, changes in my peripheral vision, etc. My eye doctor referred me to a retinal specialist who operated on me the next day. That operation was successful.  
 

 

[scubascuba3]

7 hours ago, jas007 said:

I had a retinal detachment back in 2017 while I was in the USA. This was about one year after cataract surgery for both eyes. Anyway, a few days before it happened I started noticing flashes of light, changes in my peripheral vision, etc. My eye doctor referred me to a retinal specialist who operated on me the next day. That operation was successful.  
 

 

i heard cataract surgery can cause a detached retina

[PPMMUU]

Did you get any eye exam at all? They should have tested you for visual field, visual acuity, and direct ophthalmoscopy at the very least. 

[3STTW]

5 hours ago, PPMMUU said:

Did you get any eye exam at all? They should have tested you for visual field, visual acuity, and direct ophthalmoscopy at the very least. 

 

Yeah, as per my 4th post on this thread. It was kind of half-a$$ed but they gave me the impression that it wasn't a big deal, it's only since asking the forum that I realized that it is a very big deal.

Anyhoo, after a lot of calling around and typing details into futile web questionnaires, I have an earlier appointment on Wednesday as the BPH. The earliest appointment I could get in BKK was on the same day so BPH it is.

[connda]

Just curious, but a question for those who had a retina reattached here in Thailand - What was the cost?

[treetops]

1 minute ago, connda said:

Just curious, but a question for those who had a retina reattached here in Thailand - What was the cost?

 

Mine was somewhere between 200,000 and 250,000 baht IIRC.

[connda]

14 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

i heard cataract surgery can cause a detached retina

Depends on your eyes.  Most people?  No problem.  People with extreme myopia?  It can be a problem.
If you have extreme myopia, consider getting laser photocoagulation before getting cataract surgery. 

[transam]

15 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

i heard cataract surgery can cause a detached retina

Yes, it happened to me, was just unlucky, needed a few holes fixed. Laser and N2O.

[jas007]

15 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

i heard cataract surgery can cause a detached retina

 

15 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

i heard cataract surgery can cause a detached retina

 
There are a number of risk factors.  Age, a history of extreme myopia, cataract surgery, and probably a few others.  I was lucky the surgery went OK, although I’m now having some trouble with the same eye.  Blurry/cloudy vision that fluctuates.

 

The internal lens that was inserted during the cataract surgery in 2017 became partially dislodged following the surgery after I had a reaction to the steroid eye drops they told me to take along with some antibiotic drops. The net result was less than 20/20 vision in that eye because of a misplaced lens.  No blurry or cloudy vision, just a less than perfect focus on distant objects.

Anyway, the blurry/cloudy vision came on over the course of a few weeks last fall whereas the lens has been out of place for more than a few years.  The eye doctor in Bangkok is convinced that there’s nothing wrong with my eye except for the displaced lens. I’ve had full eye exams, so maybe he’s right, although I wonder.  If I eat too much sweet food, the blurriness gets worse, so I thought it might be related to my blood glucose level spiking.  So, I went in for a diabetes screening, but they found nothing unusual.  In fact, the test results were all more or less perfect.  Maybe it’s just some kind of inflammation that’s distorting my vision? Or maybe a nutritional thing.  I guess I’ll have to wait and see.  Maybe the problem will clear up.

[Celsius]

curious about the cost and insurance cover.

 

I think rutin charges around 120,000 baht

[PPMMUU]

20 hours ago, 3STTW said:

Yeah, as per my 4th post on this thread. It was kind of half-a$$ed but they gave me the impression that it wasn't a big deal, it's only since asking the forum that I realized that it is a very big deal.

Did they at least look into your eye with something that look like one of these?