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Post by Jeanette on Apr 1, 2005 9:44:55 GMT -5
Hi there, I've been in contact with 3 belgian doctors who perform 25G vitrectomy. They all recommend to do the surgery when to floaters are causing trouble. The risks are extremely low because the procedure just takes 30 minutes and has therefore much lower risk then vitrectomies performed for other diseases. The doctors I have been in contact with are Dr Peter Stalmans(Uz Leuven), Dr Marie-Jose Tassignon(Uz Antwerpen), and dr Paul Demols(Uz Brussels). I have also been in contact with Dr Pavel Stodulka from the Czech republic. He also recommends doing 25G fov wen the floaters bother. The fear of blindness caused by fov is not realistic. Greetings, Jeanny
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Post by Larry on Apr 3, 2005 4:42:30 GMT -5
Thanks Jeanny,
I don't worry about blindness; I worry about getting the entire vitreous removed and the risk of developing a cataract. I like that the procedure is down to 30 minutes and sutureless, and that there seems to be a way to either laser the remaining vitreous out of the visual axis or induce a PVD to get it completely out. I wish I knew more about that aspect of it.
Now if some way could be found to protect the iris from getting oxidized (cataract) I'd be sold.
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Post by Frank on Apr 5, 2005 10:01:06 GMT -5
There isn't one Larry, and I doubt if there will ever be one. I've been to a cataract-specialist to inform myself about IOL's, and to be honest, for my situation everything looks good. I always wear glasses, I'm myopic. With accomodative lenses, they can correct my eyes so that I don't need glasses anymore. Only problem is that I'll need glasses for short-view, but for the rest I'll be seeing without glasses.
The specialist said that you can never know when somebody can get a cataractformation. A week ago (from when I visited him) he had a girl of the age of 27 who got cataract in both eyes. With a vitrectomy at young age it could be a long time before cataract evolves, or you can have bad luck and get it in a couple of years after the surgery.
I always thaught accomodative lenses were multifocals, but it's not. Multifocals have halo'ing around lights which can make night-driving sometimes impossible.
I have to undergo a vitrectomy. I can't do my work properly anymore. I can't enjoy life for the 100% anymore .... they're just pushing me into this surgery, even for functioning in the society alone.
I'll probably be undergoing a vitrectomy at the end of May (@ UZ Leuven).
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Post by Larry on Apr 5, 2005 16:32:15 GMT -5
Based on that I think I'd rather live with the floaters and wait for someone to find a way to clean out the vitreous without removing it.
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Post by malogorski on Apr 5, 2005 18:52:12 GMT -5
Dear larry, I am not so concerned about retaining the vitreous since in a myopic individual the vitreous is contracting, exerting a pull upon the retina which is one of the reasons why myopes are prone to retinal detatchment. Myopes possess a degenerated vitreous which is the fundamental cause of their floaters. My concern is a cataract which necessitates a second surgery which only adds to the likleyhood of a disaster. I believe anyone with severe floaters has vitreous degeneration to one degree or another. Anything which prevents cataracts after vitrectomy is likley to also help prevent cataracts for other individuals with a healthy vitreous.
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Post by Frank on Apr 6, 2005 2:20:56 GMT -5
My concern is a cataract which necessitates a second surgery which only adds to the likleyhood of a disaster. And why's that? Cataract-surgery is one of the most-done surgeries in the world and are therefor considered as peanuts. I'd rather have a cataract (which has a good solution for it), then having all those floaters flying unpredictable around in my vision each day I don't have my floaters very long (about a small year), but they didn't get less worse and I can't imagine going thru life like this (my leisure time = stying inside with closed curtains) for more years.
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Post by malogorski on Apr 6, 2005 16:05:15 GMT -5
Dear Frank, My wish is to remove the floaters without a second surgery. Every surgery has some risk. Cataract surgery has a slight risk of glacoma, which is a risk I have not heard associated with vitrectomy to remove floaters. Also, I feel if I could have just one eye done it would be of great benefit and I would be worried of unbalanced vision if only one eye had an artificial lens. My left eye has very large floaters wheras my right eye has what could best be described as a sheet covering my visual field. Also, something I do not understand is why cataract surgery and vitrectomy both seem to have about a 1% risk yet one is described by doctors as " safe, effective, reliable, a wonder of modern medicine etc." and the other is presented as a sure fire way to go blind. I don't get it. I wish vitrectomy could be disscused by doctors in a more rational manner.
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Post by Larry on Apr 7, 2005 4:36:45 GMT -5
Hello malogorski and Frank,
I'm not as knowledgeable about lens replacement for cataracts. With what I've read the lens implants are nowhere as good as what nature gave us, by that I mean lens implants don't have the ability to adaptively focus for distances and close-ups. If I'm incorrect on this please let me know.
I said I'd rather hold off for a procedure to clear the vitreous because my situation doesn't really warrant a vitrectomy. My floaters, while annoying, are probably not as bad as most other floater sufferers. My vision is very very good and if I had to get cataract surgery, I doubt my vision will be as good after lens implants.
My vitreous, although going through syneresis, isn't causing any problems like retinal tears. It still serves the function of keeping my iris from oxidizing, and that isn't something I would easily dismiss. If on the other hand I had additional vision problems it may tip the balance and a vitrectomy could be in my best interest.
Once the vitreous is gone you can't get it back. If some micro removal or repositional procedure comes along in, say 5 years from now, I may have regretted a vitrectomy and the possible need for replacement lens. I'm 42 now and not so young that I'm a low cataract risk. If some way could be found to protect the iris after a vitrectomy I may change my tune.
I think we floater folk are getting more attention from the medical community; just my opinion. I have hope for better and better options like the new 25 gauge procedure.
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Post by Frank on Apr 7, 2005 7:56:29 GMT -5
I'm not as knowledgeable about lens replacement for cataracts. With what I've read the lens implants are nowhere as good as what nature gave us, by that I mean lens implants don't have the ability to adaptively focus for distances and close-ups. If I'm incorrect on this please let me know. Dear Larry & Malogorski Well you have accomodative lenses that have the same contrast, sharpness as a natural lens when you don't focus on something less then 50cm away. Then you need reading glasses. My situation is just the other way around ... I need glasses to see everything greater then 50cm away. With a cataract I could go thru life without any glasses. I'm 25yrs old ... and to be honest they messed up my life. I'm a programmer and working behind a computer is a mess. My prodictivity has gone down a lot I stayed home for a half year, but that isn't the solution. Now at work they put up with me now, but they're waiting till I'm gonna do my vitrectomy .... otherwise I'm gonna get fired probably. Also I don't like to come outside with sunny weather, I liked to travel a LOT ... that's gone. It could be there will come a solution in 5 years, but those are 5 years thrown away in your life. On the other hand it could last much much longer. The professor I talked about said: if floaters interfere with your dailey activities, undergo vitrectomy. Chances of blindness are nihil. They do 1500 vitrectomies without any problems a year. It seems like a good solution ... the only thing I was afraid of was cataract ... but there's also a good solution for. I have never heard of the glaucoma risc with cataractsurgery tbh ... probably very very small. I'm not depressed anymore because of the floaters, I'm not making this decision without a clear mind. I just wanna go on with my life without those darn floaters. That's my vision ... sorry if I bore you guys with all my ranting
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Post by Larry on Apr 7, 2005 14:07:26 GMT -5
I'm not depressed anymore because of the floaters, I'm not making this decision without a clear mind. I just wanna go on with my life without those darn floaters. That's my vision ... sorry if I bore you guys with all my ranting No Frank you don't sound boring at all. Reading your posts and those of others keeps me aware that we are all in this together looking for a solution.
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