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fw: my operation or rather, praise for modern technology

updated thu 14 aug 03

 

John Rodgers on tue 12 aug 03


Elca, Ain't modern medicine wonderful????

How awful it would be not to be able to repair the eye when it gives in
to aging or injury.

Glad your surgery was so easy ........and sucessful!!

My own eye surgery is coming up, but it is not like yours and by the
description of the surgery I need it ain't wonderful. I have what is
called a an Epimacular Proliferation - optically clear, crinkled
cellephane membrane scar- grown out over the macular and retina. Causes
severely distorted vision.

It's about a 45 minute surgery to remove it, three incisions in the
sclera (white of the eye), Laser light through one hole, viewscope
through another hole, and micro-mixmaster through the third, whip up the
vitreous humor inside the eye - much like beating up an egg inside the
shell - and extract it, then with a tool, reach back and grasp the
cellephane at the edge and peel it away - gently of course, and extract
it. Fill the cavity with some sort of silicone oil, remove the
instruments and stitch the holes shut. Eye should be fairly clear in
about two weeks, and best vision in a year. There should be no floaters
in the eye as a consequence of the surgery The surgery usually removes
the floaters, or dark bodies in the vision.

This is more common than I would ever have thought, and surgery is
highly sucessful, but there is always that 1% chance something will go
wrong. I guess the worst part is that when done, you feel like you have
been poked in the eye with a sharp stick ...... which technically I
guess you have been.

While this surgery brings back the vision, I understand that it also
accelerates the occurance of any cataract that might loom one the horizon.

If anyone has ever been through this I would appreciate hearing from you.

Regards,

John Rodgers
Birmingham, AL

Elca Branman wrote:

>When my mother was 70 and had her cataracts removed, she had
>anesthesia,was in a hospital for days, with a sandbag on each side of her
>head in order to prevent movement and took weeks to heal. I do not know
>what size the incision was, and they did both eyes at the same time.
>
>I walked into my local Center for Sight,at 9:30, and each eye was
>measured by laser beams for the correct size lens implant., joined about
>ten other patients in a room where I was prepped , fully conscious the
>whole time.
>
>The operation, with local anaesthetic eye drops, took less than 5
>minutes, with an incision smaller than an 1/8 inch..lens broken up with
>some kind of ray, vacuumed out and replaced with made to measure lens,
>inserted thru that tiny incision and the whole thing recorded on a video
>tape so that I could see the operation. I was back home at 12o'clock.
>
>After a few fuzzy hours while my pupil went back to normal, and a bright
>new world was there...amazing. I am astounded at the difference in
>brightness and color between my fixed and unfixed eye.
>
>Incidentally, I had no idea that I had cataracts; my glasses weren't
>working well and I went in for a new prescription.
>
>The second eye gets done next Monday.
>
> I write all this to encourage those of you who might face cataracts in
>your future...painless, efficient and a great improvement on wearing
>bifocals; my right eye is now 20/25 !
>
>When I think of the time and energy I expended on angst and anxiety,
>pre-op, I feel a wee bit silly. Now we'll see if my work improves!
>Elca Branman
>
>http://www.elcabranman.com
>
>________________________________________________________________
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Elca Branman on tue 12 aug 03


When my mother was 70 and had her cataracts removed, she had
anesthesia,was in a hospital for days, with a sandbag on each side of her
head in order to prevent movement and took weeks to heal. I do not know
what size the incision was, and they did both eyes at the same time.

I walked into my local Center for Sight,at 9:30, and each eye was
measured by laser beams for the correct size lens implant., joined about
ten other patients in a room where I was prepped , fully conscious the
whole time.

The operation, with local anaesthetic eye drops, took less than 5
minutes, with an incision smaller than an 1/8 inch..lens broken up with
some kind of ray, vacuumed out and replaced with made to measure lens,
inserted thru that tiny incision and the whole thing recorded on a video
tape so that I could see the operation. I was back home at 12o'clock.

After a few fuzzy hours while my pupil went back to normal, and a bright
new world was there...amazing. I am astounded at the difference in
brightness and color between my fixed and unfixed eye.

Incidentally, I had no idea that I had cataracts; my glasses weren't
working well and I went in for a new prescription.

The second eye gets done next Monday.

I write all this to encourage those of you who might face cataracts in
your future...painless, efficient and a great improvement on wearing
bifocals; my right eye is now 20/25 !

When I think of the time and energy I expended on angst and anxiety,
pre-op, I feel a wee bit silly. Now we'll see if my work improves!
Elca Branman

http://www.elcabranman.com

________________________________________________________________
The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!

________________________________________________________________
The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!

Jan L. Peterson on wed 13 aug 03


Congratulations! Isn't nice to have surgery and not be afraid of it! My
sister-in-law went through the old surgery, weeks in the hospital, sand bags, lying
in bed starting a seven years of age. She's had numerous surgeries, and has
cataracts worse than ever. Can't see a thing. It's so sad for her. She liked to
read, so I am hoping someone has sent her Audio Books to enjoy. Jan