SamTherapy posted at 6:10PM Mon, 31 May 2021 - #4420221

In other news...

I recently developed a problem in my left eye. After numerous scans, it's been determined I have something called Wet Macular Degeneration. Basically, there's a hole in my retina and fluid is leaking into my eye.

The doc says at the moment, it appears to be healing on its own, which is unusual but not entirely unheard of. So, for now at least, they'll stick to observation. If, however, the condition gets worse, I could go blind in that eye, which isn't ideal. He then told me it can, however be treated, with injections.

"Oh, really", I asked, "and where would these injections be?"

"In the eye", he replied.

WHAT?! I told him they'd have to catch me and tie me down to do that, but he reassured me that with the anaesthetic, I would probably be OK, because "most people" don't feel any pain or discomfort.

Wow, that's comforting.

I had a bout with Retinal Vein Occlusion back in 2012 and 2013, and my Ophthalmologist sent me to a Retina specialist, and yes . . . I had to have the injections too. There were 6 of them, 3 in 2012, and 3 in 2013.

I don't know if your doctor will span them out that way, because I read somewhere at the time, they're usually done one month apart. I guess it depends, on how bad the situation is. In my case the RVO was in a small little vein near the inner corner of my left eye, so not quite as bad as the main artery.

I also didn't like the idea of injections in my eye, but I got there at least 2 hours before the procedure, and every 20-30 minutes he would put a bunch of drops in my eyes, one of which was to deaden the pain. I actually didn't feel the needle itself enter the eye. The only thing I felt was the action of his hand doing something, but that was only natural. The only "stinging" I felt was after I got home for a couple of hours, but not that bad. I did have to use antibacterial eyedrops for about a week before each injection, and about a week afterwards.

The only bad part is, there was no way to sew up the occlusion, as he tried with laser, but it didn't work, so my vision in that eye isn't quite as good as the other, but changing the prescription of my reading glasses helped with that. Here's hoping you have a fairly easy time of it.

_______________

OK . . . Where's my chocolate?

Butterfly Dezignz