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Eye Check Up Showed Thin Retina. Advised Laser Surgery. What To Do?
Question: doc,
had eye check up today, check retinal... the doctor said no holes and tear. but my left eye retinal is thin, she said she advice I do a laser surgery. I was freaking out so I didn't ask her many details. When I was about to sign the papers, I called my wife and she won't let me do it. Because she think that why do a surgery when the tear may/ or may not happen. If will happen it may be many years which we do not know right?? I don't know but I just freaking worry about I will go blind, but even retinal detach, I should still have my right eye..... Also the laser surgery will just prevent a certain area.... I don't know what to do!! pls help and give advice... She is the only one who see inside my eye, will she know the 'thinnest' to what degree?? Help pls!!!
had eye check up today, check retinal... the doctor said no holes and tear. but my left eye retinal is thin, she said she advice I do a laser surgery. I was freaking out so I didn't ask her many details. When I was about to sign the papers, I called my wife and she won't let me do it. Because she think that why do a surgery when the tear may/ or may not happen. If will happen it may be many years which we do not know right?? I don't know but I just freaking worry about I will go blind, but even retinal detach, I should still have my right eye..... Also the laser surgery will just prevent a certain area.... I don't know what to do!! pls help and give advice... She is the only one who see inside my eye, will she know the 'thinnest' to what degree?? Help pls!!!
Brief Answer:
You may require prophylactic treatment
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome to Health care magic
As written in the history you are having retinal thinning in the left eye.
Retinal thinning is seen in conditions called as degenerations affecting the periphery of the retina.The common degenerations associated with thinning of the retina are lattice degeneration, snail track degeneration... Among all these lattice degeneration is the commonest one.
Treatment is indicated in cases of retinal thinning when it is associated with retinal degenerations to prevent formation of retinal tear which may become complicated to retinal detachment.
Since treatment is basically prophylactic one the decision to treat or not to treat is individualized depending on the associated conditions present in the eye.
The treatment is must if you are having Myopia, Lattice degeneration, symptoms like flashes of light, floaters and retinal detachment in the other eye.
Please send me the answers for following questions to decide whether you require treatment.
Do you have refractive error, Myopia?
Do you any associated retinal degenerations along with retinal thinning?
Do you any of the symptoms like flashes of light, floaters?
Please do send me the details for the above questions, so that I can guide you regarding treatment.
Thank you
.
You may require prophylactic treatment
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome to Health care magic
As written in the history you are having retinal thinning in the left eye.
Retinal thinning is seen in conditions called as degenerations affecting the periphery of the retina.The common degenerations associated with thinning of the retina are lattice degeneration, snail track degeneration... Among all these lattice degeneration is the commonest one.
Treatment is indicated in cases of retinal thinning when it is associated with retinal degenerations to prevent formation of retinal tear which may become complicated to retinal detachment.
Since treatment is basically prophylactic one the decision to treat or not to treat is individualized depending on the associated conditions present in the eye.
The treatment is must if you are having Myopia, Lattice degeneration, symptoms like flashes of light, floaters and retinal detachment in the other eye.
Please send me the answers for following questions to decide whether you require treatment.
Do you have refractive error, Myopia?
Do you any associated retinal degenerations along with retinal thinning?
Do you any of the symptoms like flashes of light, floaters?
Please do send me the details for the above questions, so that I can guide you regarding treatment.
Thank you
.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Doc,
My eyesight was perfectly normal. On left eye no floaters or light. I was only in the hospital for check up. The doctor said no holes or tear yet n said the surgery can prevent this. N she ask whether I want to do surgery or wait n see.
Yes I have myopia(near eye sight??)
I read that less than 2 percent of lattice degeneration will develop into retinal detach, is that true?? N how many percent of lattice degeneration will become tear n hole???
Yes treatment is safe n common but there is still a risk as all surgery do, so doc your advice is much needed.
So doc, even u recommend surgery even I don't have tear n holes yet??
Yes the doctor said once surgery, it will prevent future tears n she made it sound like all problems solved.... Or at least for next ten years....
This is the most important organ is involved, so I just need to be super cautious!!! I don't wanna risk anything, so u think a tear will very likely form from lattice degen??? What the chance?? I mean if very likely the tear will form where I need to do surgery anyways I might as well do it early. BUT if I have more than 50 percent chance it wont become tear/detach I will take it.
So I Am not sure what I should do
My eyesight was perfectly normal. On left eye no floaters or light. I was only in the hospital for check up. The doctor said no holes or tear yet n said the surgery can prevent this. N she ask whether I want to do surgery or wait n see.
Yes I have myopia(near eye sight??)
I read that less than 2 percent of lattice degeneration will develop into retinal detach, is that true?? N how many percent of lattice degeneration will become tear n hole???
Yes treatment is safe n common but there is still a risk as all surgery do, so doc your advice is much needed.
So doc, even u recommend surgery even I don't have tear n holes yet??
Yes the doctor said once surgery, it will prevent future tears n she made it sound like all problems solved.... Or at least for next ten years....
This is the most important organ is involved, so I just need to be super cautious!!! I don't wanna risk anything, so u think a tear will very likely form from lattice degen??? What the chance?? I mean if very likely the tear will form where I need to do surgery anyways I might as well do it early. BUT if I have more than 50 percent chance it wont become tear/detach I will take it.
So I Am not sure what I should do
Brief Answer:
I recommend laser treatment.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome to Health Care Magic
Thank you for the reply.
Coming to your first question, I read that less than 2 percent of lattice degeneration will develop into retinal detach, is that true? N how many percent of lattice degeneration will become tear n hole?
Lattice degeneration is seen in about 40% of eyes with retinal detachment.
About 25 % of the eyes with lattice degeneration will show retinal breaks.
Laser surgery is not surgery exactly, it is a out patient procedure carried out without much pain or discomfort. It is a very simple procedure and it usually will not have any complications like a surgery.
The first option is to go for prophylactic treatment in the form of laser treatment.The other option is you can wait till you have symptoms like flashes of light, floaters which indicate retinal tear, which requires treatment at the earliest to prevent retinal detachment.
Since you have told that you are having myopia and associated with it you are having retinal thinning, it is wise decision to go for prophylactic laser.
Regarding the complications of the procedure do discuss about it with your ophthalmologist as you have mentioned it as laser surgery, it is not surgery as such and it can be called as laser procedure so no need to worry about the surgical complications.
Hope I have answered your query.
Thank you
I recommend laser treatment.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome to Health Care Magic
Thank you for the reply.
Coming to your first question, I read that less than 2 percent of lattice degeneration will develop into retinal detach, is that true? N how many percent of lattice degeneration will become tear n hole?
Lattice degeneration is seen in about 40% of eyes with retinal detachment.
About 25 % of the eyes with lattice degeneration will show retinal breaks.
Laser surgery is not surgery exactly, it is a out patient procedure carried out without much pain or discomfort. It is a very simple procedure and it usually will not have any complications like a surgery.
The first option is to go for prophylactic treatment in the form of laser treatment.The other option is you can wait till you have symptoms like flashes of light, floaters which indicate retinal tear, which requires treatment at the earliest to prevent retinal detachment.
Since you have told that you are having myopia and associated with it you are having retinal thinning, it is wise decision to go for prophylactic laser.
Regarding the complications of the procedure do discuss about it with your ophthalmologist as you have mentioned it as laser surgery, it is not surgery as such and it can be called as laser procedure so no need to worry about the surgical complications.
Hope I have answered your query.
Thank you
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Doc,
Thank u for your detail answers. Your answer exactly similar to my doctor. Last questions....
1. When u say wait till have symtoms such as flash, do u think it 100 percent will come? Or 25 percent it will come? If it do come any idea on how long before it come?? Years or what??
2. So the laser procedure can solve the problem for ten years or more as the doc said?? N simple with no side effects as she said?? She said very very common.
Thank u for your detail answers. Your answer exactly similar to my doctor. Last questions....
1. When u say wait till have symtoms such as flash, do u think it 100 percent will come? Or 25 percent it will come? If it do come any idea on how long before it come?? Years or what??
2. So the laser procedure can solve the problem for ten years or more as the doc said?? N simple with no side effects as she said?? She said very very common.
Brief Answer:
Laser is very safe procedure.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for the follow up query
Coming to your first question, there is only 25% chances for getting retinal break. There are chances are there that you may not develop these symptoms also.The incidence is more in people with high myopia.
Coming to your second question as your doctor has told laser will prevent development of retinal break in the thinned retina. It is very simple procedure with nil or no side effects.
Hope I have answered all your queries and this information will be helpful for you.
Thank you
Laser is very safe procedure.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for the follow up query
Coming to your first question, there is only 25% chances for getting retinal break. There are chances are there that you may not develop these symptoms also.The incidence is more in people with high myopia.
Coming to your second question as your doctor has told laser will prevent development of retinal break in the thinned retina. It is very simple procedure with nil or no side effects.
Hope I have answered all your queries and this information will be helpful for you.
Thank you
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hello doc,
Went back to see the doctor today. She gave me more details n she said that she just see a very small lattice in an area which no hole n tear yet in my left eye.
She said the risk of having tear or hole from it is about 10 percent, but u never know when it will tear IF it does n that is why she suggest laser treatment so u don't have to worry anymore. I ask her that I worry about other areas but she said she could only see that little area being thin for now n it may take years for other areas to be thin n not something to worry about if u check up every 2 years. Yes the tear/hole rate is 10 percent but is like a time bomb. For lattice to develop into retinal detachment is very low right??
I read some web site saying laser treatment can cause risk for retinal detachment(although I don't know y).
Doc, u think what the eye doc say is valid?? N do u still suggest laser treatment. She said area is very small at this moment.
Went back to see the doctor today. She gave me more details n she said that she just see a very small lattice in an area which no hole n tear yet in my left eye.
She said the risk of having tear or hole from it is about 10 percent, but u never know when it will tear IF it does n that is why she suggest laser treatment so u don't have to worry anymore. I ask her that I worry about other areas but she said she could only see that little area being thin for now n it may take years for other areas to be thin n not something to worry about if u check up every 2 years. Yes the tear/hole rate is 10 percent but is like a time bomb. For lattice to develop into retinal detachment is very low right??
I read some web site saying laser treatment can cause risk for retinal detachment(although I don't know y).
Doc, u think what the eye doc say is valid?? N do u still suggest laser treatment. She said area is very small at this moment.
Brief Answer:
You can undergo regular followup
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for the follow up query.
As you have mentioned that you are having very small lattice with no retinal tear or retinal hole.
Since you are not having any symptoms or any retinal tear or retinal hole you can wait provided that you attend regular follow up at your ophthalmologist as per advice. But I feel you need eye checkup more frequently atleast once a year.
If you are ready to attend follow up then I feel you can wait and undergo laser later.
Hope I have answered your query.
Thank you
You can undergo regular followup
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for the follow up query.
As you have mentioned that you are having very small lattice with no retinal tear or retinal hole.
Since you are not having any symptoms or any retinal tear or retinal hole you can wait provided that you attend regular follow up at your ophthalmologist as per advice. But I feel you need eye checkup more frequently atleast once a year.
If you are ready to attend follow up then I feel you can wait and undergo laser later.
Hope I have answered your query.
Thank you
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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