Eyes

Re: Eye Help Needed

A bleed would be like spiders legs in your vision and black in colour, if I were you I'd go to your gp who may refer you to the Ophthalmology clinic at the hospital.

edit to say that black dots are often visible when a bleed disperses

Re: Eye Help Needed

ShyGirl said:

It's not like a spider. It reminds me of the aftermath of a camera flash which is why i wonder if it's a migraine.
I'm not sure about visiting clinic as i'm already under eye unit so it would be a waste of time going via GP. It's so confusing

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You can ring them though Shy Girl. As an existing patient you can ask to speak o someone abou a problem wih your eyes and they can arrange an emergency appointment. If they don't think it is anything connected wih your eyes they will probably advise you to seee your GP. There should always be someone you can talk to., even out of the eye clinic hours here is always a doctor on call for eye problems.

Re: Eye Help Needed

ShyGirl said:

It's not like a spider. It reminds me of the aftermath of a camera flash which is why i wonder if it's a migraine.
I'm not sure about visiting clinic as i'm already under eye unit so it would be a waste of time going via GP. It's so confusing

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My Dad had awful migraines and he would see flashing lights in his vision, if I were you I would get your eyes checked and mention your headaches too whilst your there.

Re: Eye Help Needed

Think I would have called the central switchboard and asked to speak to doctor on call for opthalmology. However I am sure someone there will advise you.
If you mean that retinopahy will only get worse thats not necessarily true. It can be stopped in its tracks . Laser isnt the end of the world either.

When you have other health or even life issues it is very easy to get depressed about things. I find the idea of possible total blindness horrific too. I hink I would be very much inclined to slap anyone who told me I could still lead a meaningful life etc.
so I know how you feeel about that.

Often the only thing that keeps me going is the thought of the people who need me and would be worse off if I were not around.
I hope you have someone you can feel like that about ShyGirl.

You are so young that you are bound o benefit from all the new treatments coming through .

I hope you will feel reassured when you manage o speak to someone about your current worries. Uncertainty is one of he worst aspects of these conditions. It wears you down doesn;t it. ?

I hope hings start looking better for you soon .

Re: Eye Help Needed

I had laser for retinopathy in 1998 and it stopped it completely. I can still see well and am OK to drive. There are no guarantees but it's a very effective treatment.

Re: Eye Help Needed

Unbeliever said:

If you mean that retinopahy will only get worse thats not necessarily true. It can be stopped in its tracks . Laser isnt the end of the world either.

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+1 Unbeliever. Like you and Robert I've had laser treatment in the past and my retinopathy has been in remission for the last 6 years.

Re: Eye Help Needed

ShyGirl, thanks for the update and well done for going to the clinic. Let us know how it goes with the Fluorescein Angiography.

Re: Eye Help Needed

ShyGirl , that is A VERY GOOD THING! I remeber Noblehead said he has had one of these so I am sure he wll be able to
confirm what I say.

I am sure they explained it but sometimes we can be too nervous to take these things in.

There is really nohing to it. Not unless you are allergic to shellfish that is ,when you could have a bad reaction.
All they are doing is trying to find the exact location of your problem. They are just injecting some dye so that the photos they then take will show up more clearly. they will probably be looking to see if you have any signs of a leakage of fluid and if you do happen to need any treatment they will be able to pinpoint it exactly so you will have the minimum.

I know what you mean- they make such a big thing of it you feel that it is going to be a terrifying procedure and that you must have serious problems. It is FAR better for them to do this than to work by guess which I t hink can sometimes happen.

Most hospitals only do this procedure at aonce a week clinic . Perhaps there was just a vacant space. It is usually when the biometrist - the person who takes the photos - is available,

It doesnt take very long. You will probably have the usual test of your vision and for this test ,your blood pressure. In some cases they take some photos before the injection of the dye but this varies.

I have had this procedure twice and my only problem was when the nurse couldnt get the canula into my arm easily last time.
It is only a tiny little thing too. He was just very clumsy. On the first occasion I wasnt even aware of it.

All you will do is sit at a desk facing the biometrist with your chin on a rest just as in the usual eye check in the clinic.

The biometrist has to take pictures at certain intervals. You will have the tiny plastic canula inserted in your arm at the elbow.
really shouldnt hurt if you have a NORMAL nurse. The biometrist will take some photos of one or both eyes . Then the nurse or whoever will start to feed the yelllow dye ithrough the canula into your arm.
After about twenty seconds you may have a moment's nausea. this passes immediately. It is the radioactivity in the dye kicking in.
You will probably turn a delightful shade of pale yellow for a short time. Lke a very bad fake tan depending on your colouring.

The worst of it soon wears off but you will notice your urine looking yellowish for a few days. The biometrist finishes taking the pictures and that is it! Some hospitals want you to rest and have a cuppa . Mine used to but doesnt bother these days . Sign of the times.

I was so terrified the first time my husband and my daugher came with me!

My usual eye appointments take hours but from start to finish including eye test s and even a short wait both times have been only about half an hour. Even allowing for nurses with ten thumbs!

You will probably have to go back to see someone for the results. You may not need any treatment even. they may just be looking to see if there is a problem.

Please, please, dont worry. A little prick in your arm- a shorter needle than for a blood test and a couple of seconds sick feeling .
probably worth it to stop you worrying.

The worst part of any of it these things is the anticipation. I really do know how you feel. Its a trust thing I think. I am not inclined to trust drs or nurses for many reasons. Guilty until proved innocent I say.

I look forward to your posting omorrow hat you were worrying unnecessarily. You wil be fine. really. Fine but yellow?

Isnt that so Noblehead. ?

Re: Eye Help Needed

I know what you mean about needing a break. They sometimes think they are doing me a favour by asking me to come back the net day -as you know they are not!

As I said its a tiny canula . I have had the big white variety too and I know the difference. You can hardly see it and the first time I wasnt even aware it had gone in.

I someimes wish I could go to the hospital alone but i cant drive because of my eye problems and here is no public transport..
My husband and daughter were just an added worry when they cam e with me as I didnt have to wait long . I had just made such a fuss about it they thought I wa gong o my doom.

It is just as well perhaps hat you have the weekend to get your head around it all.

I would actually prefer another angiogram o one of those Field of vision teasts which you might have had? I am slightly claustrophobic and used to ge in a terrible stae over those. the angiogram is a breeze in comparison.

have you had he reinal scans or OCT's ? The angiogram is almost the same except that it takes a bit longer and of course there is the dye.
i have been wonderim how you got on.

I really do empathise wih you. The daughter i menioned above-[ in her late twenties} is working abroad where she doesn't speak the language . She has been ill for months and this week has had to undergo some painful tests on her bladder with noone speaking her language and she not speaking theirs.
She wouldn't hear of us going out to accompany her.
So please don't think I am being patronising and belittling your fears. I have had 5years of treatment on my eyes-and countless procedures. I never get enirely used to it and i have noticed that people , in general are very squeamish about eyes. None of these things have ever been as bad as I imagined beforehand. I hope you find this to be the case too.

Re: Eye Help Needed

ShyGirl said:

Hi,
I'm too sad to reply properly so will do so another time but thank you for the replies so far , means a lot to me.

I decided to force myself to the eye unit while out today.
Long sorry short - I was right to worry and have been told I need something called a Fluorescein Angiography. I felt shocked but worse was to come when doctor said it would be done tomorrow (i'm hoping Monday so i've a couple of days to calm myself) so i'd have to sign a consent form.
Life just keeps kicking me and i've no-one/nothing to live for already so these knocks just feel like i'm being punished and i'm struggling emotionally with it all if honest.

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Sorry I missed this!

Yes Unbeliever is right that I've had the Fluorescein Angiography procedure twice, the first time was fine but the second time I did feel a little unwell, I don't need to add any more than Unbeliever has said as she has explained the procedure rather well.

Hope it all goes fine!

Re: Eye Help Needed

I was given an appointment to go back for laser

Re: Eye Help Needed

I can't imagine that anyone would be given laser reatment immediately after an angiogram. Your eyes might not be in a fit condition for laser after the angogram but it would be too uch anyhow. You need to recover a lile from the angiogram.

Drops for the laser or drops as a treatment?
In my hospital the angiograms are done on a differnt day to the laser clinics . The people who generally perform the angograms wa biometrist and a nurse would not be qualified to decide on treatments . What normally happens is that the treament has usually been decided in advance by the doctor and he angiogram is done o help them pinpoint exacly where the treatmen is needed.

I am sure you will be given an appoinment to go back for laser . When you go back the Dr will ook at all he photos and measurements - a long sring of hem and decide what reatmen you need. Sometimes you get an appoinment for laser but don't actually have laser.

if you meant drops for the angiogram I don't thik I mentioned hem but I just assume drops for every procedure and don;t even hi k about it. Weren't you given a fact sheet. I just take the drops so much for granted i don' even remeber !
Mos procedures require dilaing drops and iodine drops at least. Sometimes I have had up to ten lots of drops instilled for various reasons - as a top up if they wear off etc. My hospital always warn you not to drive at any visit within the eye dept.

I shall be having laser treatment myself on tuesday in both eyes , if the recent seroid injections have been successful in stopping the leakage of fluid. One eye has been lasered almost to the full extent and the consultant will rely heavily on my recent angiogram
to pinpoint the area he can laser.
Its the same as with the diabetes really . If you find out exactly what they are doing and why you will feel less that hey are doing things to you and more t hat you are working wih them. They can only recommend a course of acion o you -you have choices,

Ask questions and let them see you are interested.

I know the things most of us worry about tend to be he minor things to do with organisaion bu all the hospitals do things differently and it can even differ from one appoinment o another so gettting used to the systemin your hospital will be a bg part of feeling more confident.

As i said before I doubt if any where carries out angiograms every day. i attend a very large hospital with a very busy eye clinic and I know they don't do that. Likewise they don;t hold laser clinics every day. It is often more a question of fittting you into the system than the system fitting around you.

I hope all goes well- i am sure it wil and at least you know that any treatment you evenually have should be applied exacly where it is needed.

Re: Eye Help Needed

Unbeliever said:

I can't imagine that anyone would be given laser reatment immediately after an angiogram. Your eyes might not be in a fit condition for laser after the angogram but it would be too uch anyhow. You need to recover a lile from the angiogram.

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Likewise I'd be very surprised if they carried out any laser treatment afterwards.