Well I had the vitrectomy on Friday, thought I'd let you know how I got on. I think it's gone ok, in that everything went to plan during the op and they didnt need to put the gas bubble in, but the next few weeks are crucial as there's a risk of post operative bleeding which if excessive could mean another op.
I was at the hospital around four hours in total. They really are very good at Optegra, very welcoming and reassuring and made me feel well looked after- so important when you have an eye problem which is stressing you out.
I was intially prepped for theatre and met the anaesthetist and nurses who'd be dealing with me. I had my eyes dilated and checked by the surgeon, he said luckily he would not have to actually cut open the eye as is sometimes the case, and he could just do the op with incisions.
I was then given a cannula for the sedation drip and an anaesthetic block applied to my eye so that it was completely paralysed and unable to feel pain. I was covered in a sheet with a hole for the eye they were working on, and oxygen piped under the sheet. I wasn't given a lot of sedation, as they are afraid of people nodding off and jerking their head, so I felt a little relaxed but was still completely conscious throughout.
Now the weirdest thing - as they were working on my eye I could actually see from inside the eyeball they were working on! I had assumed it would be all black in there, but no. Obviously I could not see when they were right on the retina - but I could see stuff a little way above the retina. Like, they put an infusion port in my eye and I could see the base of this sticking up into the eyeball. I could see them sucking the eyeball jelly out, it was a bit like being on the bottom of the ocean watching jellyfish and flotsam float by!
They took the eyeball jelly out first, then they cut away at the abnormal vessels, I could see when these were removed and there seemed to be quite a lot from my view point, I remember thinking thank god they've got these out now. They cauterised some of the vessels which were growing on the surface of the retina and I could feel them making the tiny burns to seal them. They also did some laser with the endo laser. It didn't seem to take as long as it does with ordinary laser, but then I was a bit out of it so time may have passed more quickly - I was in there for two hours in total although it seemed shorter.
The worst part of the whole thing was having to keep still for so long - my head was in a head rest which was not very comfortable and began to dig in to me. This got really uncomfortable and eventually I had to ask if I could move to a more comfortable position.
Then when they'd finished working on my eye, they sewed up the three little holes which I could feel them doing quite clearly (although no pain of course) and then patched up my eye with a swab and a shield. Then I was all done, although still a little woozy from the drugs for a little while I was unsteady on my feet however completely able to talk to the doctor and nurses.
After around half an hours recovery I was sent on my way with a bag of eye drops and a lovely body shop eye mask to keep in the fridge!
Relieved it was over and had gone well, I went home to bed for the rest of the day where I've stayed pretty much since. My eye was a bit sore but nothing too bad, and I'm putting in three lots of eye drops every four hours. I have to keep horizontal for two weeks but then can potter around the house for a further two before returning to normality in four weeks i hope.
One good thing about going private is the level of aftercare, I've had a nurse phone me every day to check how I am and I'm back at the hospital on Monday for the doctor to see me.
So far I've been very happy with the op - I can't tell you how relieved I am that the bad vessels are no longer doing damage inside my eye, and I'm very hopeful that this will stabilise the condition permanently.
For me it has been totally worth it going private - the best money I've ever spent (and the most probably!) . The hospital itself has been lovely - very friendly, reassuring staff, great facilities, high level of expertise and little extras like the 24 hour phone line I can call. I feel very fortunate that I was able to see this consultant (thank you again Unbeliever!) and take this option.
Hopefully all will go well with the recovery and I can look forward to getting on with my life again.