Vitrectomy & later cataract surgery (also post-LASIK)

[TrvlBug]

Got and used the side sleeping backpack last night. Love it . Nice to sleep in my bed again rather than on the couch. The cat likes the bed better too .

 

[Katsmeow]

Some time between 2 and 3 am this morning my gas bubble completely disappeared. At a little after 2 AM (I am a night owl) I noticed that the gas bubble was extremely tiny. Before that, when I would look down the bubble would be in the center of my vision (albeit getting smaller and smaller). It would move if I moved my head or spoke but otherwise stayed in that location.

When I saw it around 2 AM though it was pinhead size and was skittering around wildly. About an hour later I noticed it was gone completely.

It took 10 1/2 weeks to dissipate. Or, 2 months and 12 days. Early on I thought I might be one of the lucky one where it vanishes in less than 2 months. At the early point it seemed to be going down a bit more rapidly than I expected. But, it all slowed down.

At this point, while I am delighted it is gone, it makes little difference. The biggest issue for me now is my cataract that is far worse now than it was before surgery.

Got and used the side sleeping backpack last night. Love it . Nice to sleep in my bed again rather than on the couch. The cat likes the bed better too .

Glad it worked! And, yes, I too found I liked the bed better!

 

[eytonxav]

Glad your bubble is gone, that thing drove me crazy. Despite the cataract, after that gets fixed i am sure you will be a happy camper. I would just see what the Dr says about when is the best time to get that done. Not sure if he will want your eye to recover a little more or not.

 

[Katsmeow]

Glad your bubble is gone, that thing drove me crazy. Despite the cataract, after that gets fixed i am sure you will be a happy camper. I would just see what the Dr says about when is the best time to get that done. Not sure if he will want your eye to recover a little more or not.

Yes, I am so glad the bubble is gone. It was just such a pain (as you well know).

Since my cataract was getting so bad, doctor said that I could have surgery any time after the bubble was gone. I am scheduled to have the right eye (non-vitrectomy eye a week from now and the left eye 8 days later. (I've started a separate cataract surgery thread on that).

 

[TrvlBug]

I had my 4 week follow up today. The eye is healing very nicely and I am cleared for all my normal activity. I am really anxious to get out into the garden again, however, will need to be careful and use the complete 'sealed to the face' safety goggles. Additionally, my peripheral vision and depth perception are shot so will also have issues there. Don't want to prune off a finger! But on on the positive side, I only smashed one coffee cup...I learned very quickly to make sure dishes were sitting on the side table before letting go .

The gas bubble is dissipating a bit slower than hoped, but maybe it'll go faster. The one problem I haven't seen mentioned that the eye doc chucked at and said is quite common is my vertigo. As the gas bubble is getting smaller, the vertigo is getting worse. Yesterday was an especially bad day. As soon as I finish this post, I'm going on Amazon and ordering an eye patch. Doc says that's how some of his patients deal with it and there was no reason not to have the eye closed. I'm fine when relaxing and reading or watching TV, but it gets worse when I'm active and moving about.

I have no more head positioning restrictions but must continue to sleep on my sides (both sides each night) until the bubble is gone. I split the time as close to 50/50 as possible each night. Drinking liquids until I go to bed guarantees I will wake up to pee once or twice each night! The side sleeper backpack Kats mentioned is amazingly 'not uncomfortable' and being able to trade off sides during the night helps with hip pain. I am also using a body pillow for knee positioning and that helps tremendously. I can be on my back for short periods of time such as my upcoming dental hygiene appt. and the like. Just not for hours.

I'm so looking forward to this all being over. For now. Doc says once you have retina issues you will always have retina issues and I will be seeing him regularly to monitor both this eye as well as my other eye.

 

[Katsmeow]

I have no more head positioning restrictions but must continue to sleep on my sides (both sides each night) until the bubble is gone. I split the time as close to 50/50 as possible each night. Drinking liquids until I go to bed guarantees I will wake up to pee once or twice each night! The side sleeper backpack Kats mentioned is amazingly 'not uncomfortable' and being able to trade off sides during the night helps with hip pain. I am also using a body pillow for knee positioning and that helps tremendously.

Glad the backpack worked. And, no, it really wasn't uncomfortable.

On the vertigo issue, I mostly dealt with it all by just closing my vitrectomy eye. Especially when reading or on the computer, that is what worked the best. An eyepatch might be easier though.

The gas bubble is a pain but as it gets smaller it becomes less of one (although the sloshing of it bothered me for awhile).

 

[TrvlBug]

Was just re-reading this thread to see how long the gas bubble REALLY lasts. Tomorrow is the last day of week 8 and I still have a noticeable but small bubble. Looking like it will be 10+ weeks before it totally dissipates. I'm having much more difficulty with hip pain, but will just have to bear it.

Tomorrow will be the first day at the gym. Although I've been cleared for exercising, including weights, I plan on taking it easy for a while. With complete healing taking a year, I don't want to chance tearing the retina again. The damage this time was pretty bad and with no symptoms whatsoever. The 2 times before with symptoms, I got away with in office laser repairs.

On the positive side, I have now, after tomorrow morning, been weaned off the Prednisolone .