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Vitrectomy

B

bonerp

Well-Known Member
Messages
400
Location
Dorset
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi
Has anyone had a vitrectomy to correct retinopathy as a result of continuing bleeds after too much laser?

What was the result? Has your bleeds stabilised? Has it affected your eyesight and now causes restrictions?

Also are you able to continue driving following healing?

thanks
Paul
 
My husband has had this done in both of his eyes..

I start witht the worse one first of his operations

The first vitrectomy was carried out 10 years ago, after he had a major hemorrage in his left eye, the bleed caused instant sight loss (couldn't see through the blood) but it also detached part of his retina, so the operations involved removing the blood clot, reattaching the retina, the vitreious jelly is removed as part of the operation and replaced with a (in my husband case) a gas bubble to keep everything in place while new vitreios jelly is forming...

The actually operation took about 4 hours, and after this he had to do what they called 'posturering' where he had to lie in cetain position to ensure everything settled correctly, the out come of the operations was a complete success and he has no futher problems with that eye, but with saying that the is one guarantee that they do give, after the operation because they've cut the eye to operate you will at some point of the future have to have the cataract removed and replaced, which they can't say when this will happen, for my husband he's just been told that they are going to do this soon...

His right eye was operated on about 6 years ago and a lot less complex and sounds at though it's very similar cercumstances to yours, he had several laser treatments to this eye, and then they dicided to operate to stablize it, this was very straight forward with a lot less time in surgery and required no prosturering procedure after... It was explained at the time that the intention was to stablized the eye to prevent any futher damage to it, not a operation to improve the sight in that eye.. My husband was one of the lucky ones as the operation did improve his sight, so he and the surgeon was chuffed with this out come...

Since having these operations he hasn't had any further bleeds or required any lasering of either eye, the cataract that he's due to have done shorty due to his first operation and something that we had been warned at the time would adventually be needed...
 
thanks jopar. Does having the op mean losing your license or does it depend on the outcome?

Paul
 
The driving question I can't really say, because hubby doesn't drive so this wasn't a consideration that we had to face..

But on assumption only, the oepration is really stablizing the present condition/sight to remian the same, if you can drive with the eye in it's present condidtion then I would assume that after the operation and recovery period then should still able to drive..

I would have a word with the surgeon concerning this though..
 
Hi Paul,

I have had 3 ops now on my eyes. The first in the right eye but the retina didn't reattach so they had to do another to put a gas bubble in. Then the second the sight came back in the right eye it went in my left. Any way the ops were not too bad, the posturing can be a bit of a pain for the 2 weeks or so after but that about it. My eyesight is fine now, I have a few little problems after extreme physical activity but nothing too serious. They only problem is that I have been told that I am very likley to develop cataracts in the next few years as a result of the operation.

Now for the good part re driving. I think I am about to enter a very big argument with the DVLA. I can read a numberplate at the required distance of 20.5m, however you will also need to take a visual field test to show that you have 120 degrees of vison *60 degrees in each eye). The effects from the laser that you have probably already had and the vitrectomy can cause blind spots in certain areas of the eye. This is to comply with driving standards set by the EU. After having my 2nd visual field test the other week the doctor has called me to say that she is going to reccomend that I am not allowed to drive as I have a blind spot on the 20 degree diagonal axis. After the new tighter driving regulations were brought in in 2004/2005 the BDA petitioned about them claiming that it is basically discrimination and there is not that much evidence to show that the current tests are conclusive in any way to show how driving would be affected. The response to the initial report can be found here:

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/en/About...esponses/DVLA_Eyesight_and_visual_impairment/

Looks like I might have a bit of a fight on my hands. It does surprise me that if you are blind in a few little spots around your eye you are not allowed to drive. However if you are totally blind in 1 eye you are allowed to drive, not really sure how that complies with the visual field requirements.

Anyway I need to do quite a bit of chasing up on this in the next few days but I will keep you updated.
 
Hello

Really nervous today as me and T1 boyfriend are going to see an eye consultant about a vitrectomy on one of his eyes. I've read up on it and seen that a few people on here have had it done but still feel really sick and it's not even me that might have to have it done.

The thing that's bothering me is that i've read various stories and alot of them have gone in and their retina's have detached during the operation, making it an even bigger operation and longer recovery time!

I know that it can be a good thing to have this operation done as it can calm the eyes down as I believe the gel that is in the eye has a growth hormone in it which can stimulate new vessel growth, so if it's replaced with the saline solution it stops this from happening.

It's just one of those things that were going to have to decide I suppose and the end result could be good or bad!

Will let you know later what the outcome is.

LL x
 
Sorry but I think that you've got some of your information wrong..

The natural eye gel they removed doesn't have growth hormones, the reason it's being removed is because a vien as bleed and the blood isn't adsorbing away, so blocks part or all of the vision... The don't replace this with saline as the saline is the wrong consistancy, it a vicus type gel...

If the retina is partly ditached this has happened when the vien hemorraged not caused by the surgeon, Yes the operation is longer and does have a longer recovery time.. When the surgeon repairs the retnia s/he will use an gas bubble against the retina to help hold it in place, this means that you've got to do posturing, which basicall is that you are in the main laying down with your head in a posistion that helps to keep the gas bubble in the correct position..

As I said in an earlier post, my husband had this operation just over 11 years ago, worst part for him was the bordom he suffered while doing the posturing part of the recovery, out come of the operation, a small amount of side vision loss that he doesn't notice.. Apart from one laser zap about 3 months after the operation he's had no more problems with that eye
 
Hi guy's I have had both my eyes done left 2x and right done 1. After 20 yrs and 2000 shots of laser they decided that they would change the fluid in my eye again and it was found that the first time it was done they left some jell behind and that was what caused the bleed. Unfortunately it took around 18 months because it was clearing up almost enough to see into but not quite. And if you can't see out they can't see in. They gave me local anesthetic and taped my head to the table that was the worst feeling of being unsure of what was going on ever. Knowing what was to happen next time it was easy to relax for the procedure. I had cataracts from the extensive laser so they had a replacement lense ready if needed but would not do the lense unless necessary cause we diabetics take longer to heal. they put a gas bubble which I got the good one by the sounds of it as I was aloud to stand up for 10 mins an hour but not bend down or lie down on my left side. Had to sleep sitting up till the gas bubble went. The only thing that eye would focus on for awhile was my eye lashes. I had saline solution in my eye as it would not cause an irritation like the jell and any blood would disperse quicker through water than jell. All in all I would not be worried to have this procedure done and I hate any thing around my eyes. I'm sure without this procedure being done I would be 100% blind. With both my eyes I can see very well not to good in the dark or in bright sunlight. But I do hold a licence for both bike and car. And in the time since I have had this one done again 2 feb no probs. Wish everyone that has this done has the same piece of mind that I now have. Cheers all Vaughan
 
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