saw the eye surgeon today
Dec. 10th, 2015 01:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fufarawI've been anxious about it, but it turned out pretty great! The last synechiae attachment has broken, and my pupil is round and reactive, so that's great. There are still some pigment cells from the back of my iris clinging to the lens, which contributes to some slight obscured vision, but at the moment, there's no inflammation, and no more "sticking".
I still haven't seen the rheumatologist--there were four in town, two retired, the remaining two are seeing all the patients, and despite references from my PCP and the eye surgeon, the rheumo just hasn't even been able to give me a rough date when I might be able to make an appointment.
The PCP said the bloodwork was inconclusive as to the cause of the inflammation, so the surgeon just treated with steroid drops and dilator drops--beginning doses multiple times a day. We eliminated the dilator drops, and reduced the steroid to twice daily, then daily, then every other day, and then none. It's been a month since I've been off the steroids completely, and she's pleased with how my eyes look.
I still haven't gotten new glasses, and she said the right eye is at 20/25, the left eye (the one that caused all the trouble) is at 20/30, which isn't optimum, but it's manageable. I have "really big" cataracts in each eye, which will grow more opaque over time. She wants to see me in four to six months to monitor them. But chances are pretty good I'll have them removed from both eyes in a year's time, and that should reduce my myopia significantly. So we agree that it would be pointless to pay out of pocket for new lenses when in a year's time I'll have to have my prescription checked and adjusted. So for now, I'm keeping the glasses I have.
There is still lots of veiling from the PVDs (posterior vitreous detachments), but there isn't a lot that can be done about them. Any surgical removal attempts usually leave scars, which obscure the vision more than the PVDs do. I just have to keep my zen and concentrate on seeing past the veiling and not let it annoy and irritate me.
She did say that cataract removal would result in much clearer and brighter vision, as well as reducing the myopia. And so we wait. I'm to contact her if I develop new symptoms, or if there's pain. But otherwise, I'm good to go, for now.
Whew! That's a relief. While it doesn't fix anything, at least it's not a deteriorating, untreatable condition. I'll take it.
I still haven't seen the rheumatologist--there were four in town, two retired, the remaining two are seeing all the patients, and despite references from my PCP and the eye surgeon, the rheumo just hasn't even been able to give me a rough date when I might be able to make an appointment.
The PCP said the bloodwork was inconclusive as to the cause of the inflammation, so the surgeon just treated with steroid drops and dilator drops--beginning doses multiple times a day. We eliminated the dilator drops, and reduced the steroid to twice daily, then daily, then every other day, and then none. It's been a month since I've been off the steroids completely, and she's pleased with how my eyes look.
I still haven't gotten new glasses, and she said the right eye is at 20/25, the left eye (the one that caused all the trouble) is at 20/30, which isn't optimum, but it's manageable. I have "really big" cataracts in each eye, which will grow more opaque over time. She wants to see me in four to six months to monitor them. But chances are pretty good I'll have them removed from both eyes in a year's time, and that should reduce my myopia significantly. So we agree that it would be pointless to pay out of pocket for new lenses when in a year's time I'll have to have my prescription checked and adjusted. So for now, I'm keeping the glasses I have.
There is still lots of veiling from the PVDs (posterior vitreous detachments), but there isn't a lot that can be done about them. Any surgical removal attempts usually leave scars, which obscure the vision more than the PVDs do. I just have to keep my zen and concentrate on seeing past the veiling and not let it annoy and irritate me.
She did say that cataract removal would result in much clearer and brighter vision, as well as reducing the myopia. And so we wait. I'm to contact her if I develop new symptoms, or if there's pain. But otherwise, I'm good to go, for now.
Whew! That's a relief. While it doesn't fix anything, at least it's not a deteriorating, untreatable condition. I'll take it.
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no subject
Date: 2015-12-10 03:26 am (UTC)Good luck!
no subject
Date: 2015-12-10 03:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-12-10 04:07 am (UTC)So it sounds like things have improved a lot over the last month. It's worrisome though because it's your eyesight. Yikes. Hopefully you'll get in to see one of the remaining rheumatologist soon and get some more definitive answers. In the meantime google is your friend. In this day and age you seem to need to be your own doctor. No one else is looking out for you like you.
((HUGS))
no subject
Date: 2015-12-10 06:45 am (UTC)Even without a definite diagnosis, today's visit did do a lot to set my mind at ease about it.
no subject
Date: 2015-12-11 05:58 pm (UTC)I hope you are able to get into a rheumatologist soon. Waiting is difficult. I know.
no subject
Date: 2015-12-11 09:23 pm (UTC)