#old lady marilyn might lose the vision in her right eye someday due to a retinal detachment

[millerflintstone]

Me in my stylish post eye dilation sunglasses but a cartoon version courtesy of PicsArt. It's like part of my glasses are melting.

Today was follow up at the retinal specialist practice. Two weeks ago on Friday, I had my initial consultation. I knew from about 10 years of OptoMap retinal pictures, that I had some small holes in my retinas. The waiting room was filled with people at least 15 years older than me if not more. I'm sure folks who came in after thought I was somebody's designated driver.

The initial visit consisted of a visual acuity check (20/20 with my glasses), eye pressure check, and additional pictures of both retinas. Then the doctor examined me. I mentioned to him that on occasion over the past 3 or 4 weeks, I had seen a black spot off to my right in my peripheral vision of my right eye, but I had not seen it during that past week. That was alarming to him. I could tell by his body language and how his voice slightly changed

As he checked the retinas of both my eyes, he noted both were thin and both were experiencing degeneration. My right eye had a round retinal break without a detachment. He told me I needed laser surgery that day to prevent a retinal detachment.

I was shocked.

I have a fear of anything going into my eyes. I would never consider Lasik surgery because of that. To learn that a focused laser would be going into my right eye freaked me the fuck out. I texted Unfriendly to let him know and he didn't realize I was getting eye surgery that day.

They prepped me for the procedure - retinal laser photocoagulation. I think I got some kind of numbing drops. The machine looked similar to this

He placed a contact lens into my eye to help focus the laser. He let me know that right after I wouldn't be able to see out of that eye for about 15 minutes. He said there might be some discomfort.

What's interesting is reading up on the treatment at various websites for ophthalmologists. Most say no pain to minor pain. Y'all. It felt like there was a headache growing in my eye during the treatment. It got really intense. I don't think I could've blinked with that eye but I kept them both open and I kept REALLY still. The entire time I was yelling inside my head that there was a laser beam in my EYE and motherfucker it hurt, but better that than a retinal detachment and possible blindness.

He said I was doing outstanding during the procedure and afterwards he told me that someone must have been looking out for me because I could've suffered a retinal detachment at any moment. I asked if there was anything I could do to help thicken my retinas and no. That's just my genetic luck.

After about 10 minutes, I peeked with my right eye and I could see. Since both eyes were dilated, things were blurry up close. My eye was throbbing but I could only associate the pain with a bad headache that affects your eyes. I got queasy. I waited in the darkened dilation waiting room until the nausea passed and the pain eased up a bit. Luckily ibuprofen took care of that when I got home.

He was very comforting and very skilled. When I looked him up after the fact, I saw he went to both Harvard medical school and did a fellowship at Columbia.

I'm all healed up today and have to go back in two months for a check up. He did mention that if I ever do suffer a retinal detachment, it will be hairy because my retinas are so thin. Ugh. That's future Marilyn's problem.