Big Eyes - with update

On Monday, the ophthalmologist dilated my eyes bigger than they've ever been before.  The week before, I had started seeing floaters _ first it was a gnat that i thought I saw out of the corner of my eye, then what looked like a human hair under a microscope, and by Saturday, the hair was morphing into different shapes and getting all knobby, and a vast sprinkling of finely ground pepper joined the party.
Doug knew all about floaters and the potential seriousness of them (in terms of indicating possible damage to the retina, that left untreated, can lead to loss of vision), and he insisted that I get it checked out right away rather than waiting 2 weeks until my already scheduled annual physical.  Some friends recommended Dr. Andrew Norris at the Eye and Laser Clinic, and by 10am Monday morning, I looked like Puss in Boots.
Thank goodness for Doug's insistence, because after using lots of different magnification instruments and shining lots of lights in my eye, the doc informed me of the "C" shaped tear (rhymes with pear) in my retina that required immediate treatment.  After more eye drops and even bigger eyes came goopy stuff to hold a special contact lens and magnifier on my eye while he shot about 100 laser pulses at the torn area of the retina to "spot weld" it closed.
I was ordered to take it easy for a while, not worry about my eye, not worry about anything, not lift anything, not strain myself, etc. etc., and stay home from work and not read or do any close work (no crochet, no crosswords.)  So I followed the instructions, went in for my follow-up appointment on Wednesday, and everything looked hunky dory.  Today I went back to work, but still taking it easy and being careful.  Unfortunately, something went wrong, and I was back in the exam room with even more floaters in my eye than the first time.  The new development is a hemorrhage, and so now I'm off to the retinal specialist, the next step up from the ophthalmologist who did Monday's laser surgery.  To be continued when I get back from the specialist!  

UPDATE Thursday evening  Dr. K had to use a mini ultrasound wand to examine my eye because he couldn't see the retina through the bleeding. (It's a girl!)  He doesn't think there's a new tear (rhymes with hair) in the retina, but that a blood vessel that bridges the laser-spot-welding-repair area is bleeding into the inside of the eyeball, and he'll check it again on Monday morning to see if the bleeding has slowed down or stopped.  If it's what he thinks it is, the good news is that I won't need additional "laser" blasts to repair a new tear (rhymes with bear). 

Bad news is until the bleeding stops and the blood eventually dissipates, I have almost no vision in my left eye.  With my right eye closed, I can see general shapes, colors, and light, but no facial features, and when they put the big "E" on the eye chart that filled the whole chart area, I could not even tell there was any black on the chart.  With my right eye open, depth perception is not good, and reading is somewhat hampered.  But in other good news, Ben is a fabulous caregiver and chauffeur. (Doug is in D.C. until Sunday.) We'll be enjoying some Dr. Who together over the weekend.

And if you have questions about detached and torn retinas, below is the best explanation I've found.

What is the retina?

The retina is a light-sensing membrane that lines the back of the eye. It captures and transmits images to the brain. The outlying parts of the retina are responsible for peripheral vision.

What are retinal tears and detachments?
Sometimes part of the retina either tears or pulls away (detaches) from the back of the eye. When this happens, vision loss may occur.

What causes a retinal tear or detachment?
Most retinal detachments are caused by the presence of one or more small tears or holes in the retina. These tears may be due to the thinning of the retina that comes with age, but more often they are caused by shrinkage of the vitreous — a clear, gel-like substance that fills the inside of the eye. The vitreous helps maintain the shape of the eye and allows light to pass through the retina.

Who gets retinal tears and detachments?
Retinal tears and detachments usually affect people who are middle-aged or older. These eye problems are more likely to develop in very nearsighted people and those with a family history of retinal problems. A hard, solid blow to the eye may also cause retinal detachments.

What are the symptoms of a retinal tear or detachment?
If there is a tear, you may notice floaters (specks or threads in your vision), flashes (lights, stars or streaks in your vision) or sudden blurry vision. With a retinal detachment, an area of your vision may seem shadowed. And you may also experience the same symptoms as someone with a retinal tear.

Is treatment necessary?
Yes. Prompt treatment of a torn retina can prevent the retina from detaching. Once the retina becomes detached, it must be surgically repaired to prevent vision loss.

What are the treatment options?
If the retina has a tear or hole, but has not become completely detached, your ophthalmologist may recommend a special type of laser treatment (photocoagulation) or freezing (cryopexy). If the retina is detached, surgical repair is necessary.

What's involved in laser treatment?

During this procedure, your ophthalmologist will use a laser to place small burns around the edge of the retinal tear. These burns produce scars that seal the edges of the tear and prevent fluid from passing through and collecting under the retina. Laser photocoagulation is often done as an outpatient procedure and requires no surgical incision.