February 06, 2010
Posted by: david : Category:
event
Okay, technically it was seven years ago yesterday since it is past midnight. What happened back then? I had a trabeculectomy on my left eye. It was my twelfth glaucoma operation and first since 20 May 1980. Maybe I should have put off that surgery. Since that trab in 2003, I have not seen better than 20/100 (and that was only for a span of about eight months.) Before the surgery I was about 20/80. A little better on some days and a little worse on others. I was able to read the mail by myself. Well, I wasn’t by myself. Our dog Zamboni, would sit next to me while I went through it.
There were plenty of other things I could do then that I miss terribly now. I still love sports, I just can’t participate anymore. I used to go to about 30 Flyers games a season. Even then I couldn’t see the puck, but I could follow the game and enjoyed going. I’ve been to three since 28 January 2003. That date was the last home game before my surgery. It was the last game I “saw” (and it was a bad game — a 3-0 loss to Tampa Bay.) I’ve been to two Phillies games at Citizens Bank Park, one this past season when they played Baltimore (and lost 6-5.) A friend had two extra tickets and Jane wanted to go (it was her first Phils game, but her second O’s game.) It was great seeing her get into the game and get excited, and I enjoyed spending time with my friend and his son. As far as the game went, I pretended like I knew what was going on, but I didn’t.
My whole life was about trying to maintain my vision. Glaucoma cannot be fixed or reversed. I remember as a kid I used to ask my eye doctor if anything new had been developed that could improve my vision. The answer then is the same as it is now: not yet. Maybe some day. On that day back in 2003, we tried. It just didn’t work out the way we hoped.
January 12, 2010
Posted by: david : Category:
Uncategorized
Just a quick update to add my OCT image. I’ve added here and to last night’s post (so you can compare mine with the normal one posted on the Vitreous Retina Macula Consultants of New York website.) I kind of think mine looks like two people laying on the beach on their bellies and seeing just their backs and butts. I’m hoping to hear from the doctor today or tomorrow.
My OCT scan from 11 Jan 2010.
January 12, 2010
Posted by: david : Category:
Uncategorized
What an adventure today at the Pagoda Building at 100 Presidential Ave. After a few minutes in the waiting area, we were called back. I followed Irene into a very dimly lit room, stumbling slightly on one of the stools. I sat on a stool that seemed to be a bit too high for the machine I was supposed to put my chin in while pressing my forehead against the bar. The device that was going to take the images and measurements of my retina looked similar to an older (circa 1998) surveillance camera. Inside the lens was this cool blue light, slightly lighter than the blue light on the machine that reads your IOP, that looked similar to something in a sci fi movie with a thin red line across the horizon that looked like a laser.
My good fortune was that the machine was brand spanking new and both Irene and Todd had not yet mastered it. Irene couldn’t get a good set of images and kept asking me if I was diabetic, which I am not. She then said that the cataract in that eye must be really dense, because they couldn’t get a clear image. She then decided to dilate my eye. (This test was only for the left eye. The right is waiting for the Six Million Dollar Man eye and I haven’t spotted those at Radio Shack yet.) Dr. Pro had asked that the eye be dilated, but Irene thought it wasn’t necessary at the beginning. While my pupil was dilating, Irene stepped out of the room. Todd, Eliz, and I talked about the machine. I asked Todd a question and didn’t get a response. Eliz then answered for him. Seems he didn’t realize I couldn’t see him and he nodded yes to answer my question. After about 10 minutes, Irene walked back in, but Todd wanted his turn on the machine, so Irene coached him. He couldn’t get a good image either. Irene’s turn again.
After about 10 to 15 minutes of trying, we were asked to go wait in another waiting area. We only waited there a couple of minutes and then it was back into the hot seat for me (and I didn’t stumble in the room this time since my eye was dilated…) Finally, Irene was able to get the correct images the doctor ordered. I asked if I could have one put on my flash drive. Irene said no, but said she’d print one out. As she looked through all the images, she realized that they weren’t that good. She asked if she could try again on getting a good image. At this point, either Eliz or I mentioned the Endothelial transplant from December 2008. She then said that might be why she couldn’t get a good image. Whatever. She got some images she was happy with and printed one out for me… In black and white! The doctor will have a look in a day or two. I’ll call on Wednesday to see what the story is.
I’ve got a scanner issue that is stopping me from uploading the image. Hopefully I’ll figure it out tomorrow and have the image up here then. I know it doesn’t look like this image:
OCT demonstrating normal retinal architecture.
My OCT scan from 11 Jan 2010.
So now I have to wait to hear from the doctor. My image is a bit more “hilly” than the image above. I’m hopeful this is the reason for my latest issue. I also hope this can be fixed.
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