The good news is that I probably don't need glasses

[giza]

Being 28 years old, I'm an old man! I expect parts of my body to break, or at least cause me aches and pains.

So, a few months ago when there were barely noticeable blobs floating around my field of vision, I wasn't too concerned. I figured that it was an "ache or pain" in my eyes and that the problem would either go away or get worse.

This past week, it got worse. The blobs became more noticeable and I began having difficulty focusing, which led to me squinting and getting headaches. Not good.

I visited Dr. K today, and he examined my eyes. It turns out that I have a condition called vitreous separation. He explained that the tissues involved have several layers and that sometime the topmost layer will fall off and cause the spots that I've been seeing. This results in one of two outcomes:

1) Nothing happens at all. The cells completely fall away and vision returns to normal.

2) The vitreous separating is the first stage of retinal detachment which, if left untreated, can lead to total loss of vision.

Fortunately, the treatment of #2 is simple. I just need to see an Eye Physician with a frickin' "<Dr. Evil>LA-SER</Dr. Evil>" attached to his head. He can then use this LA-SER to scar a portion of the retina which will result in it being firmly attached to the back of my eyeball. From what I read, the procedure seems pretty painless. Either way, I still need to see an Eye Physician, since it takes one to tell the difference between #1 and #2.

As far as risk factors for retinal tears go, I don't have any, such as near-sightedness. I've been told by Dr. K that it is very likely #1 and completely harmless. However, he also told me that anything that causes "bouncing" or elevates upper body blood pressure can aggravate the condition. This means the following for me:

- No DDR
- No rowing machine
- No upper body lifting of more than 5 pounds

So I guess I get to alter my workout at the gym to use the bicycle more, do only lower body lifting, and use 5 pound barbells with lots of repetitions for upper body stuff. This is gonna suck.

But it's a lot better than losing my vision.

Comments

[gatcat.livejournal.com]

Oy. Best of luck. I have eyedamagephobia, and I dread the day I hear something like this from the doc. I know my blood pressure would jump were I in your shoes, but you seem to be coping calmly...which I suppose, in this case, is what the doctor orders.

[giza.livejournal.com]

Dr. K is really good at keeping people calm. Either way, there's no chance of me having any permanent vision loss so, in the immortal words of Alfred E. Neuman, 'Medical insurance is what allows people to be ill at ease! (http://www.leedberg.com/mad/quotes/quotes.html)'

[furahi.livejournal.com]

Of course I don't mean to make you nervous..

But with the posibility of retinal detachment how is there no way of permanent vision loss?

Maybe I'm just paranoid because I used to volunteer in a school for kids with "multiple challenges", which in that school meant vision loss and something else (typically the other thing was they were mentally handicapped).
Many of them ended that way because of retinal detachment, but of course it's not the same in a newborn or two year old than a full grown man

In any case, best of luck Giza <hugs>

[giza.livejournal.com]

> But with the posibility of retinal detachment how is there no way of
> permanent vision loss?

I've been told that if caught early enough like say, the condition I am in right now, a "LA-SER" can be used to fix the retina before any tear becomes irreversible.

[furahi.livejournal.com]

Well, then all the better ^__^

[xoagray.livejournal.com]

but if it's the one that goes away, and it clears up, can you go back to your normal routine? I would think so.

Hopefully it won't be all that bad.

Xoa

[giza.livejournal.com]

Correct. If it requires the LA-SER, I could also resume my routine after the surgery.

[xoagray.livejournal.com]

That's cool.

*wags tail*
X

[kellic.livejournal.com]

Hmmmm. Great. Sounds like my sight. Every so often I get blobs in my sight and I'm slightly nearsighted. Giza you are going to turn me into a hypochondriac. The only good thing is I had my vision checked last Fall with the whole eye drops and practically touching your eye with this lens thing so *shrugs* I’d think that as something as drastic as that they would find.

[anthro-wolf.livejournal.com]

Best of luck with that. Now I'm a tad bit concerned because I get that every once in a while as well, the blobs of color and such. But I've never had it checked out before because I figured it was just some kind of small and temporary vision problem. I now think perhaps I should probably consider otherwise. Thanks for sharing that.

[giza.livejournal.com]

If you see your primary care physician, you can probably get a simple eye examination from them, which is what I did yesterday. Mine just looked in my eyes with a light for about 10 seconds in each eye and immediately told me that something was up. It was totally painless.

[rustitobuck.livejournal.com]

Daarrrrn. Well, it's probably one of those things where it's good you went in early and caught it before it got really bad. Here's hoping for a good outcome!

[melkitsune.livejournal.com]

Wow, that sounds scary. I think the thing I'm most afraid of is my vision getting worse than it already is.

Best of luck to you!

[unclekage.livejournal.com]

Shoot lasers in your eyes? Dude, I can do that and I won't even charge you!

Seriously, dude, I hope all goes well. It breaks my heart to see a non-bouncy Giza!

[duskwuff.livejournal.com]

"Warning: do not look into laser with remaining eye."

[firestormsix.livejournal.com]

*ouch* ... I hope it all goes well for you dude. *hug

[fc-greyfox.livejournal.com]

Merf.. Rough news. I'm sure whatever it turns out to be, you'll have it solved and be back to your old habits in relatively no time at all.

[sleepingwolf.livejournal.com]

My father had #2 happen to him (due to vitreous separation) last September, and after the LA-SER he's fine. So hopefully it all clears up soon and you can be back to your old tricks. :-)