Detached Retinas anyone?

[ppbon]

I'm trying to see if anyone else has experienced detached retinas and diving.
They're probably not connected but nevertheless.....
I had been diving for 37 years without any medical problems and then last year my right eye suffered from a detached retina about two weeks after diving. I had corrective surgery (June '03), waited until the doctor cleared me to dive (6 months) and then my left eye suffered a detached retina about two weeks after the last dive. This eye was also corrected with surgery (Feb '04) and I've done about 20 dives since without any problems.
I do try to dive as often as I can, so these instances may just be a coincidence in that I would have had the detached retinas whether I had scuba dived or not.
What I've learned is that there are four major risk factors regarding detached retinas.
1) Heredity; 2) Eye Trauma; 3) Age, and; 4) Nearsightedness.
Turns out I'm batting 1000!
My Dad had a detached retina, I've been hit with a racquetball in both eyes, I'm at that age, and I'm also nearsighted.
So, any comments?

Happy diving,
Pedro

 

[drbill]

Had a ship's captain I worked with get a detached retina shortly after diving. He had had an eye injury a few months before though which made him highly susceptible.

Dr. Bill

 

[pink_fins]

Oh, about 5 years ago I had a detatched retina in my left eye. Didn't really know what it was. Just saw bars in my eyes on a weekend and by Monday was blind in one eye. Couldn't get in to see a specialist till Wed and by 2:00 in the afternoon I was in surgery.
He fixed my left eye with a buckle and looked at my right. He lazered that one. 6 weeks no diving. ugh.

No family history of eye problems. Did diving do it ? No, I think nature did it.

Have to admit the first few dives after the surgery were scarry but I took it slow.

gail

 

[Dive-aholic]

I've been hit with a racquetball in both eyes

Either you should start wearing eye protection or get better at racquetball!

Seriously, sounds like you just hit the lottery with this one. I'm halfway there--mother had it, was nearsighted, almost there agewise too. If you have a detached retina in one eye, it's not uncommon to have it happen in the other eye too.

Oh, about 5 years ago I had a detatched retina in my left eye. Didn't really know what it was. Just saw bars in my eyes on a weekend and by Monday was blind in one eye. Couldn't get in to see a specialist till Wed and by 2:00 in the afternoon I was in surgery.

Wed!!! Ouch! That's a long time. When my mother had problems, she went to the ER and was in surgery within a couple of hours. You're lucky you can still see. The sooner the treatment, the better the chances for normal vision return.

 

[scubapro50]

I'm trying to see if anyone else has experienced detached retinas and diving.
They're probably not connected but nevertheless.....
I had been diving for 37 years without any medical problems and then last year my right eye suffered from a detached retina about two weeks after diving. I had corrective surgery (June '03), waited until the doctor cleared me to dive (6 months) and then my left eye suffered a detached retina about two weeks after the last dive. This eye was also corrected with surgery (Feb '04) and I've done about 20 dives since without any problems.
I do try to dive as often as I can, so these instances may just be a coincidence in that I would have had the detached retinas whether I had scuba dived or not.
What I've learned is that there are four major risk factors regarding detached retinas.
1) Heredity; 2) Eye Trauma; 3) Age, and; 4) Nearsightedness.
Turns out I'm batting 1000!
My Dad had a detached retina, I've been hit with a racquetball in both eyes, I'm at that age, and I'm also nearsighted.
So, any comments?

Happy diving,
Pedro

I suffered a detached retina in my left eye in April of 2003 as a result of a non diving accident. I had the surgery and a "buckle" was installed and left in. The doctor i used was a diver and told me not to dive for at least a year after the surgery. I did go in for my yearly checkup and he cleared me to start diving again. In June I went to Grand Cayman for a week and did 14 dives with no problems.

 

[BILLB]

I had a detached retina repaired with the buckled in 1998. I also have lense implants. I have had no problems with these repairs. I do 50-70 dives per year.

 

[ppbon]

... they make me feel more at ease with diving again.
You want to believe that it would have happened anyway, but it's good to hear your experiences.
I won't think about it again.
Happy diving,
Pedro

 

[DabldoMaui]

I had a torn retina in two places and it took 4 days until I lost nearly half my vision. I had retina surgery (May 6 2010) and the nitrous oxide bubble evaporated 16 days later. I cannot corrolate it to any trauma or age or nearsightedness, I fell in the 1% of people that just get it. I am a dive instructor so I am interested in studying the effects this will have in the future on this eye and my other eye.

I see the doctor in a month and hopefully will be cleared to dive again. I am curious if other divers are finding retinal tears a common issue for those doing 100+ dives a year.

Aloha

 

[santafejoe]

Well i am now the newest member in the Detached Retina Club. Just found out last Thursday that i have a Detach Retina in my left eye which is my Nearsighted eye.Was suppose to have surgery this Wed June 2 but i have to take my Stress test first thing Thursday morning surgery will be next week on Wed is what were shooting for now.
I am a dive master candidate so i guess i will hang up my Fins for a good couple of months and get this all corrected before going back to diving and DM class

 

[santafejoe]

Had my surgery done last Tuesday and my 24 hour check up the next day. My eye is healing very good. Gas bubble is now about 75 % gone. Another check up this coming Friday.