03-23-12, 01:26 PM | |
VF Supporter
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Illinois
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Thank you all for the kind words and condolences.
(To add insult to injury, now, there is a boil order for my neighborhood, as the street crew 'repairing' or replacing old water pipes down the road broke something they shouldn't have. Where is Mr. Rolleyes when you need him? I've stocked up on bottled water, as there's no way I'd drink the stuff that was coming out of my faucet, even after boiling! Guess it's time to get my distiller back to work, as a Pur filter ain't gonna cut it!)
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Kathryn ^. .^ > ^ < 2010 season speed-walking 5K PR: 35:47 2011 season race-walking 5K PR: 34:42 |
03-23-12, 01:30 PM | ||
VF Supporter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: wisconsin
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Quote:
The vitreous gel inside the eyeball is attached to the retina at various spots but very strongly at the optic nerve. Over time (especially in really near sighted people but can happen to anyone) the gel starts to liquefy so the liquid and solid parts (protein strands/aka floaters) start to separate and the vitreous contracts. Once the gel actually separates you may have a large floater to be annoyed by but the force and tension that was pulling on the retina is released and there is no more danger of retinal detachment. However, at the time it pulls away you can potentially tear the retina which could lead to retinal detachment and blindness if not fixed right away. If you catch a tear really early (before you see the "curtain") then they can simply do a laser procedure to nail the tear down but I've had patients who waited 2 weeks after seeing the flashes and floaters before coming in to see me and the tear had progressed to detachment and hence surgery. Not that the laser is fun but it's definitely less invasive than the surgery and easier to recover from! I feel so bad for your friend!
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Colleen |
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