Tammy, worried about your eye! You OK?

[Bev G]

Hi Tammy,

I always resist doing this sort of roll call thing on here, but I've been thinking about you, worrying about you, all day. If you see this can you let us know if all the black went away, if you went to the ER, did they help you, etc. I so hope this has all resolved for you by now. It had to have been so scary. Sending you hugs, and hope you're feeling up to letting us know.

xox

Bev

[Cj51]

Me, too. I didn't have anything extra to add--but I was really hoping that she got her eyes looked at immediately. I hope she gives us an update.

Cj

[O Stoma Mia]

I woke up yesterday morning feeling a really weird sensation in my right eye. It doesn't hurt but its driving me crazy! My eye feels like I have a wad of cotton in it and these black floaters are darting around really fast. I've had floaters before, just one or two at a time and they go away just about as fast as they come. But this is different, there are literally hundreds of black lines flitting around.Then this morning along with the black lines there are small black dots covering up my field of vision. It looks like my car windshield when it is really dirty. It is very hard to see out of that eye as it is hard to focus and very blurry. Again no pain what so ever. Of course my eye Dr is closed for the weekend. Obviously I will go in Monday, but I was just wonder if anyone has had this happen. Probably has nothing to do with my cancer but I was wondering if the chemo could be making it happen. All I know is I'm not driving until I get this figured out! I'm trying to enjoy the next few days since I have another txt on Wed and now this UGH!
Tammy

Hi Tammy - I've been thinking about you, too. I hope you have found someone to drive you to the eye doctor's office today. If not, just take a taxi. As you no doubt know, at the doctor's office they will want to dilate your eyes fully so that they can see the retina clearly. After that, you shouldn't be driving a car for awhile.

I went to the eye doctor myself a couple of weeks ago to get an exam and ask a somewhat similar question -- Can chemotherapy have long term effects on the eye? What the doctor told me was that chemotherapy could cause dryness of the eye, but he qualified his answer by saying that what he meant was dryness on the inside of the eye (not just on the conjunctiva). He said that for this condition all that was needed was regular application of ordinary eye drops (moisturizing drops).

[ While I was there I also asked him a non-chemo question -- whether flat-screen computers can cause eye problems. One thing he said was that for these kinds of screens it is important for the ambient light in the room to be about the same level as the brightness on the screen, and that it was not a good idea to try to read a bright computer screen in subdued light or in the dark. ]

[michelle c]

I've been thinking about you too, Tammy. Please let us know how you are when you can. I hope that it has resolved.

Love and hugs,

Michelle

[rosa01]

Did anyone hear from Tammy? I am worried about her. Let a very special blue candle that everything is alright.

Sheila

[pfCml73183]

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[Hall0731]

Worried about her as well. I hope she is ok.

[tdsamal]

So sorry to worry you guys! I went to the ER yesterday afternoon after my eye started getting worse. Ended up being there for over 16 hours (which is why I HATE going there in the first place). They told me to see an ophthalmologist first thing in the morning and sent me home. Took them 16 hours to say that!!! They said all they saw was a small amount of bleeding. Went in first thing this morning to the eye Dr. and there is a lot of bleeding behind the eye and some detachment from the retina, and the vitreous sac(?) has moved as well, so I will be going in today at 1 pm for lazer surgery. The Dr says that it does not seem to have anything to do with my treatments or cancer. She normally sees it in older people with strong prescriptions. Called my onc right away because I was scared because I'm on Avastin and wondered about the healing but he gave the go ahead to have it done. Kind of sounds like I don't have much of a choice at this point. I'll let you know what happens this afternoon and thanks so much for all your concerns! Never a dull moment with me. Don't know if this will delay my treatment Wed or not.
Tammy

[Hyfija]

Oh Tammy, good to hear from you. I've had laser surgery in my eyes after I had the vitrectomy. It's absolutely painless. For a short time (about ten minutes) you don't see a thing, but then everything clears up again. Laser is mostly used when there is a tear in the retina. I hope it's not a more serious detachment. I keep my fingers crossed for you. The blood in your eye will eventually go away, but that takes more time, about a week or so. Keep us informed please.

[dianetavegia]

Vitreous detachment (lightning flashes in the dark) can heal themselves (settle down) over time. The larger the tear, the longer it takes to heal. These are common in older people. Most of the time they are not dangerous.

Vitreous Detachment Defined
What is vitreous detachment?
Most of the eye's interior is filled with vitreous, a gel-like substance that helps the eye maintain a round shape. There are millions of fine fibers intertwined within the vitreous that are attached to the surface of the retina, the eye's light-sensitive tissue. As we age, the vitreous slowly shrinks, and these fine fibers pull on the retinal surface. Usually the fibers break, allowing the vitreous to separate and shrink from the retina. This is a vitreous detachment.

In most cases, a vitreous detachment, also known as a posterior vitreous detachment, is not sight-threatening and requires no treatment.


Risk Factors
Who is at risk for vitreous detachment?
A vitreous detachment is a common condition that usually affects people over age 50, and is very common after age 80. People who are nearsighted are also at increased risk. Those who have a vitreous detachment in one eye are likely to have one in the other, although it may not happen until years later.


Symptoms and Detection
What are the symptoms of vitreous detachment?
As the vitreous shrinks, it becomes somewhat stringy, and the strands can cast tiny shadows on the retina that you may notice as floaters, which appear as little "cobwebs" or specks that seem to float about in your field of vision. If you try to look at these shadows they appear to quickly dart out of the way.

One symptom of a vitreous detachment is a small but sudden increase in the number of new floaters. This increase in floaters may be accompanied by flashes of light (lightning streaks) in your peripheral, or side, vision. In most cases, either you will not notice a vitreous detachment, or you will find it merely annoying because of the increase in floaters.

[Bev G]

Hi Tammy! So good to hear from you, an somewhat a relief, I guess? We'll be waiting to hear how the laser goes, and hoping there is no pain or discomfort. How helpful that one of our members (sorry, brief mind freeze) has had this and has let you know what to expect.

Love, Bev

[michelle c]

Hi Tammy,

Good to hear from you! 16 hours, ugh! All the best for your laser treatment and hope your eye is back to normal soon!

Michelle xox

[Cj51]

I'm glad you got it checked! My mom had a similar experience, and also the laser surgery to repair it. Not pleasant, but what choice do you have?
I hope your laser surgery went well, and that your recovery is uneventful.

Cj

[Guinevere]

Praying that the surgery went well and that you're feeling better and the problem is fixed. This sounds silly but I never realized that laser surgery on eyes were done for any other reason than correcting vision depth problems like near sightedness or far sightedness. Learn something new every day if you're paying attention, huh?

God bless ~
Guinevere

[CheeseHead]

Tammy,

Ouch - I'm sorry to hear this. Hope the surgery went ok.

All the best,
Cheese