Hey all.
I have been type 1 for 32 years with poor control for a lot of that time.
I was put on the Omnipod 4 years ago now, which dramatically improved my control resulting in massive improvements of my HbA1C.
Shortly before this though, I was diagnosed with proliferative retinopathy and had extensive photocoagulation in both eyes, albeit with delays due to cancelled appointments but
that's a separate issue!).
The left eye has a bleed every so many months but tends to clear within 6 weeks. The bleed means that a white cloud obscures my vision and occasionally I get black tendrils and shooting dark spots.
I am able to read down to the penultimate line on the sight test when my vision is clear or even partially cloudy but my new consultant thinks I am using the other eye which I can't be as it is covered during the test and I shut my other eye anyway. However at my last appointment I read down to the penultimate line with the nurse but then could only get to the 2nd line with the consultant as the cloud had come across in the time it took to be called in which is how I think they arrived at the conclusion of using the other eye!!
I had a different surgeon who put me in for the vitrectomy in December 2014 but then cancelled and then forgot to rearrange until I started making complaints in June 2015. I had had trepidation at this point as when asked what he would advise a family member, the response was "well as a surgeon, you want to get all the experience you can".
Following the cancellation and the non follow up, I decided I wanted a second opinion. At this point I had another minor bleed but the consultant was adamant that for the potential risks, my sight was still too good for them to advise a vitrectomy.
However this surgeon has recently been promoted into a more management orientated role, and the new consultant (who thinks i am subconsciously or consciously cheating on the eye test!) has me booked in for surgery in 2 days time! Nothing is being done to allay my fears and i don't feel as though i can ask them any more questions as i sense a feeling of " not another indecisive patient"
Despite the official success rate, there are a lot of posts describing worse bleeds than before, to blindness of the eye operated on and only a couple where patients have had no adverse experience and are glad they had the surgery.
I know a cataract is inevitable, but as I say they have done extensive laser, there is no issue or likely to be an issue with the retina and the only negative is the fact that my vision is occasionally obscured.
Any thoughts, advice? Should I delay until the vision is completely obscured for longer or am I being a big girls blouse and should ignore the horror stories because they represent a small proportion of unlucky people? Any one else had positive results?
I have been type 1 for 32 years with poor control for a lot of that time.
I was put on the Omnipod 4 years ago now, which dramatically improved my control resulting in massive improvements of my HbA1C.
Shortly before this though, I was diagnosed with proliferative retinopathy and had extensive photocoagulation in both eyes, albeit with delays due to cancelled appointments but
that's a separate issue!).
The left eye has a bleed every so many months but tends to clear within 6 weeks. The bleed means that a white cloud obscures my vision and occasionally I get black tendrils and shooting dark spots.
I am able to read down to the penultimate line on the sight test when my vision is clear or even partially cloudy but my new consultant thinks I am using the other eye which I can't be as it is covered during the test and I shut my other eye anyway. However at my last appointment I read down to the penultimate line with the nurse but then could only get to the 2nd line with the consultant as the cloud had come across in the time it took to be called in which is how I think they arrived at the conclusion of using the other eye!!
I had a different surgeon who put me in for the vitrectomy in December 2014 but then cancelled and then forgot to rearrange until I started making complaints in June 2015. I had had trepidation at this point as when asked what he would advise a family member, the response was "well as a surgeon, you want to get all the experience you can".
Following the cancellation and the non follow up, I decided I wanted a second opinion. At this point I had another minor bleed but the consultant was adamant that for the potential risks, my sight was still too good for them to advise a vitrectomy.
However this surgeon has recently been promoted into a more management orientated role, and the new consultant (who thinks i am subconsciously or consciously cheating on the eye test!) has me booked in for surgery in 2 days time! Nothing is being done to allay my fears and i don't feel as though i can ask them any more questions as i sense a feeling of " not another indecisive patient"
Despite the official success rate, there are a lot of posts describing worse bleeds than before, to blindness of the eye operated on and only a couple where patients have had no adverse experience and are glad they had the surgery.
I know a cataract is inevitable, but as I say they have done extensive laser, there is no issue or likely to be an issue with the retina and the only negative is the fact that my vision is occasionally obscured.
Any thoughts, advice? Should I delay until the vision is completely obscured for longer or am I being a big girls blouse and should ignore the horror stories because they represent a small proportion of unlucky people? Any one else had positive results?
