Victrectomy Surgery

After a year and a half of struggling to see with a tangle of floaters in my right eye I finally had surgery to remove the floaters. When the floaters first appeared, my doctor and I agreed to wait to see if the few floaters I had at the time would go away but they didn't, instead they got worse as more of the vitreous detached. After a few months I had strings and a transparent glob blocking my vision. Having that mass floating in my eye reminded me of the early stages of when I had a cataract because my vision had become cloudy. 

I really didn’t want to have another surgery due to my concern about the possibility of detachment and cataract development but once again it was necessary. My vision had become so impaired that I considered using a white cane for walking down stairs. Walking down stairs became an issue because I couldn't tell where one stair ended or where the other one began. I had a fear of falling, especially at sports stadiums and movie theaters. I got to the point where I didn’t want to go to any more events but my husband and son helped me by guiding me to my seat if the stadium or theater was too dim or dark.Though I had help, it was still difficult for me maybe due to my pride I guess and from feelings sadness about the situation.

"I really didn’t want to have another surgery due to my concern about the possibility of detachment and cataract development but once again it was necessary."

Besides being worried about having another eye surgery for fear of detachment, another issue I was having was trying to figure out how to manage my studies after surgery. When it was decided that I should have the vitrectomy, which was near Spring, I was in my last semester of the Community Health Work program. I decided to wait until the program was over in hopes that I could have the surgery during summer but my surgery ended up being scheduled during the Fall; when I was four weeks into my graduate school program. My doctor assured me that having a vitrectomy was nothing like retinal surgery and that I should be fine to read a week after surgery but to take it easy; no heavy lifting, no exercise, etc.

The vitrectomy took place on September 12th, 2023. I was given the usual twilight sedation which means I awake during the surgery but unaware at times. I think I dozed off or something but I do remember the start of the procedure and seeing the floater disappear from my eye then nothing else until the doctor told me it was over. It felt like only ten minutes had gone by but it was much longer.

Recovery

As usual after eye surgery I had to return to the clinic the next morning to have my bandage removed. Besides experiencing some slight double vision, my sight was clearer. Finally after a year I could see out of my right eye normally (well for me) again. The doctor reminded me to take it easy for the next few weeks especially since the incisions didn’t have stitches.

During recovery I didn't have to lay face down because there was no gas bubble inserted into my eye. I had to wear an eye patch to bed at night to protect my eye and take the usual eye drops including the prednisolone acetate drops which I had issues with before but this time there was no swelling or withdrawal. I didn't experience too much pain this time which was good, but on the first day I did experience pain from light sensitivity. When my pupils would dilate due to light response, which is normal, my right eye would burn badly! I experienced this last time but this time the stinging was worse. It felt like rubbing alcohol had been poured into my eye. I almost doubled over because it hurt so bad. The eye drops also burned if I put them in anywhere near the incisions. So for the entirety of the first day I avoided bright light and made sure to use my eye drops every day on time.

My Medications:

Prednisolone - 4 times a day for a week, then 3 times, etc, then stop.

Ofloxacin - 4 times a day for a week, etc, then 1 time a day until used up. 

Cyclogyl - 2 times a day for a week, etc, then stop.

Tobradex - Use at bedtime as needed.

I finished all medication with no issues of swelling or redness and the incisions are healing smoothly unlike the last time. I wore the plastic eye shield to bed for about three weeks.

I’ve had three follow up visits to the retina clinic since surgery. My last appointment with the ophthalmologist was in November and I am scheduled to return in three months (February 2024). So far so good.