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Medical Forum / General / Vision / March 2006Help me find a clinic to correct Detached Retina
My local clinic (Portland, Oregon) wants to use old fashioned surgical methods. I'd prefer more modern gas bubble therapy. Any suggestions on clinics in the Northwest which can handle more up to date detached retina repair? Thanks, 30% and Going Blind Fast..... Don't mess around. Get to the closest retinologist wherever he/she is ASAP. What do you mean old fashioned? If they need to strap your eye, let them do it. You'll also get a bubble. Both are up to date. w.stacy, o.d. > My local clinic (Portland, Oregon) wants to use old fashioned surgical > methods. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > 30% and Going Blind Fast..... why are you posting here about a retina detachment? dude, get emergency help NOW! > My local clinic (Portland, Oregon) wants to use old fashioned surgical > methods. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > 30% and Going Blind Fast..... Fast isn't exactly the concept. Immediate is the concept. Once you go blind, completely or partially, you don't ever get it back. Get this fixed. Now. Not tomorrow, not tonight, right now.  SignatureDan Abel dabel@sonic.net Petaluma, California, USA To clarify, I've just seen the ophthalmologist, who diagnosed it. I had already set the appt. with the retinologist (but that is not until the 24th - next week/fri). I would have preferred to see someone before then but this is where my opthalmologist wants me to go. I just wanted to know who (which clinics) are up-to-date on their methods. Unless things have changed since the last time I had to find a specialist, there is quite a difference in the expertise and quality of care from clinic to clinic. At one time, I could only find a couple of specialists in pathological myopia in the US, and they were both in southern CA. I have been seen for years here in Oregon by ophthalmologists, reported floaters and flashes and loss of vision, and never before was it even suggested that I might be headed for retinal detachment... I'm disappointed so far in the level of expertise up here, so you'll forgive me for making a few inquiries as to clinic / dr. suggestions ;) > To clarify, I've just seen the ophthalmologist, who diagnosed it. I > had already set the appt. with the retinologist (but that is not until [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > disappointed so far in the level of expertise up here, so you'll > forgive me for making a few inquiries as to clinic / dr. suggestions ;) Perhaps we aren't understanding. Do you actually have a detached retina right now, or just a risk of it? There are preventative treatments, which could be scheduled in the future. SignatureDan Abel dabel@sonic.net Petaluma, California, USA Right now, this moment. Up until last night, had 30% total loss of vision due to retinal detachment in left eye. 15% in right eye. Lost 10% more today in the left eye (est). Called the Retina Northwest today, asked if they could step up the appt. (was for 28th). They gave me an appointment for the 24th instead. Should I consider another clinic? Any suggestions? The longer you wait, the more vision youll lose. I cant believe the nerve of them! You may become 100% blind in a few days! I suggest you go to the hospital now! I dont even think you are for real. Here you are with 50% vision loss and you are sitting by the computer and typing and waiting patiently for an appointment while you lose more and more vision!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! > Right now, this moment. Up until last night, had 30% total loss of > vision due to retinal detachment in left eye. 15% in right eye. Lost [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Any suggestions? I really, really don't understand. If you have a retinal detachment, you need to be seen *right now*. Not tomorrow, not later tonight, but *right now*. Go to the emergency room in the hospital, and demand immediate treatment. Tell them that you are losing your vision, and it isn't ever coming back, and if they don't fix it *right now*, they are in big trouble. I had a detachment last summer, and I was in the OR within 4 hours. SignatureDan Abel dabel@sonic.net Petaluma, California, USA > > [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > I think there has got to have been a communications breakdown. This whole thread makes no sense, unless the patient is actually somewhere like Portland, Iraq. w.stacy, o.d. > >I really, really don't understand. If you have a retinal detachment, > >you need to be seen *right now*. Not tomorrow, not later tonight, but > I think there has got to have been a communications breakdown. This > whole thread makes no sense, unless the patient is actually somewhere > like Portland, Iraq. This newsgroup has some communications problems. We don't need to name names. We just need to communicate what the casual reader needs to know. SignatureDan Abel dabel@sonic.net Petaluma, California, USA I don't understand. If it is such great danger to wait until the 28th, why would a retina specialty clinic like Retina Northwest (Portland, OREGON) not make an appointment for at least the following day to two? My ophthalmologist (MD) referred me to the clinic (Retina Northwest) - but I'm now worried from what I'm being told here that they (Retina Northwest) is not too professional. If it was so risky to wait until the 28th, would they (the 'retina experts') do that? Please explain....I'm concerned the quality of medical attention here in Portland, Oregon is very poor. > I don't understand. If it is such great danger to wait > until the 28th, why would a retina specialty clinic like [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > Please explain....I'm concerned the quality of medical > attention here in Portland, Oregon is very poor. Is it possible that the clinic is not aware that you have a detached retina? Perhaps it was communicated as a general referal for an initial consultation? Maybe you could call there and ask that a doctor be made aware of your immediate condition? -Quick >> I don't understand. If it is such great danger to wait >> until the 28th, why would a retina specialty clinic like [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > -Quick Your reaction is also a bit odd. It's been days and the doctors here implied your your described condition had immediacy in terms of hours. Your response hasn't seemed go past expressing concern over the medical expertise available in your area. Have you even called anyone? The refering doctor? To tell him they gave you an appointment for the 28th? The clinic to see if a doctor there is aware of the condition you were referred for? The local emergency room to see what they think about it? I got the impression from the responses here that it's possible that you are hours away from being permanently blinded. -Quick > immediacy in terms of hours. Your response hasn't seemed > go past expressing concern over the medical expertise [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > from the responses here that it's possible that you are hours > away from being permanently blinded. I understand (as a layperson) that it is more like months than hours to permanent blindness. It is a permanent vision loss that should be worried about. That's more a matter of hours. With my first detachment, I called. They wanted to see me *now*. Not tomorrow, not later this afternoon, not after lunch, but right now. I have suffered a permanent vision loss. My left eye sees fine in seeing to the right. However, my nose is in the way. I have to turn my head to see to the right. SignatureDan Abel dabel@sonic.net Petaluma, California, USA > Maybe you could call there and ask that a doctor be made aware of > your immediate condition? I think that is what needs to be done. Somehow it sounds like the urgency was not passed on. And part of that may be that 'topwebchoice" does not seem to comprehend the urgency. SignatureCharles >>Maybe you could call there and ask that a doctor be made aware of >>your immediate condition? > > I think that is what needs to be done. Somehow it sounds like the > urgency was not passed on. And part of that may be that 'topwebchoice" > does not seem to comprehend the urgency. This thread is bizzare. My guess is the true diagnosis has something to do with a flap tear or somthing else that can LEAD to a detachment as compared to a retinal detachment. Or maybe a central serous maculopathy, given the VA reduction. Something that can be put off with relative safety. I hope the original poster clarifies this at some point, and tells us the outcome. w.stacy, o.d. > I don't understand. If it is such great danger to wait until the 28th, > why would a retina specialty clinic like Retina Northwest (Portland, [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Northwest) is not too professional. If it was so risky to wait until > the 28th, would they (the 'retina experts') do that? When you say referred, did they talk to the retina clinic or did they give you the name of the retina clinic and you called and made an appointment? Was the retina clinic told you had a detached retina? When I had a detached retina, the regular doctors office called the retina specialists office and got me an appointment the following day. SignatureCharles Charles: To clarify, the ophthalmologist told me in no uncertain terms that I had retinal detachment with at least 30% vision loss in the left eye (solid 'black curtain' from the top right of visual field). He immediately ('stat' was his term) ordered his medical asst. to make the first appt. with Retina Northwest. I was present when she did it, and she clearly explained that it was for a retinal detachment. I called MYSELF last friday to tell Retina Northwest that my vision loss has gotten noticeably worse in the previous days, and they bumped up my appt. from the 28th of this month to the 24th. I dont understand why some in this thread have implied I've mishandled this situation. I was posting here for (hopefully) helpful information. If anyone knows of any retina specialty clinic here in Portland, Oregon which might be somewhat more responsive, I'd really consider it (and appreciate any helpful info, please). Someone suggested I go to the ER. Why would I do that? I've already been diagnosed in no uncertain terms by the first MD/ophthalmologist with detached retina. What good would that do? > I dont understand why some in this thread have implied I've mishandled > this situation. I was posting here for (hopefully) helpful information. > If anyone knows of any retina specialty clinic here in Portland, Oregon > which might be somewhat more responsive, I'd really consider it (and > appreciate any helpful info, please). I think some of us are surprised that you were not scheduled for an appointment sooner than the 28th. My experience was that I was schedualed right away. But I am only going on my experience as a patient, I am not a doctor, or an expert on the urgency. Personaly if they had schedualed me so far off for an appointment, and I had a solid black curtain in the top of my visual field I would have found another specialist, there must be several in a city the size of Portland or went to their office and talked them into seeing me sooner. One thing I find dubious is that your initial post stated that the clinic wanted to use old fashioned surgical methods rather than a gas bubble. If you havn't been examined by the clinic how do you know, or how would they know what method they might use? Any repair is going to be surgical. Whether they use a buckle or a gas bubble would be determined after an examination. In my case they told me they were going to use a buckle after the examination but changed their mind and did the gas bubble at the surgery. SignatureCharles > I dont understand why some in this thread have implied I've mishandled > this situation. I was posting here for (hopefully) helpful information. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > been diagnosed in no uncertain terms by the first MD/ophthalmologist > with detached retina. What good would that do? Because, based on what you have posted, you have an emergency. That's what they do. That's why they call it an "ER". SignatureDan Abel dabel@sonic.net Petaluma, California, USA > Because, based on what you have posted, you have an emergency. That's > what they do. That's why they call it an "ER". Would they do emergencty surgery if someone went to the ER and had a detached retina or would they just tell you to see a retina specialist? I suspect the latter. I have to go along with William Stacey description of this as bizarre. I am somewhat dubious of the persons story as told because of their initial post about old fashioned surgery and gas bubble. From that post it sounds like they had been to the clinic. SignatureCharles > > Because, based on what you have posted, you have an emergency. That's > > what they do. That's why they call it an "ER". > > Would they do emergencty surgery if someone went to the ER and had a > detached retina or would they just tell you to see a retina specialist? > I suspect the latter. No. The ER is always in a hospital, in my experience. That's where they do surgery. I went to the ER for what I thought was a detached retina last July. I saw a couple of nurses and then a doctor who had no clue. He used a slit dingus but didn't dilate my eyes. He said he'd call the eye doctor on call and see what he said. A couple of minutes later the nurse came in to dilate my eyes, and said the eye doctor was on his way. The eye doctor diagnosed a detached retina and called the retinal specialist. I had gone in after dinner, and was in the OR by 11PM. SignatureDan Abel dabel@sonic.net Petaluma, California, USA > He said he'd call the eye doctor on call and see what he said. A > couple of minutes later the nurse came in to dilate my eyes, and said > the eye doctor was on his way. The eye doctor diagnosed a detached > retina and called the retinal specialist. I had gone in after > dinner, and was in the OR by 11PM. That is pretty swift. Sounds like a good hospital. SignatureCharles > I have to go along with William Stacey description of this as bizarre. > I am somewhat dubious of the persons story as told because of their > initial post about old fashioned surgery and gas bubble. From that post > it sounds like they had been to the clinic. What's so bizarre? Not sure if you read my recent post above. I have indeed been to an MD/ophthalmologist (now two weeks ago) who indeed did see the detached retina himself. I had the impression it was urgent but Retina Northwest (the 'retina specialists') must do some sort of 'preop' consult (if I understand them correctly) before scheduling surgery. That appt. was some time in the future (as set by Retina Northwest) - so I had time (I felt) to consider my options (other clinics). The only thing bizarre to me is I'm getting conflicting information. On the one hand, the ophthalmologist suggested it was urgent yet Retina Northwest clearly does not agree (or does not have adquate staff to schedule an appt. sooner.) People here seem to feel this must be done TODAY. Which must I believe, the 'retina specialists' (Retina Northwest) or others? Are there any retina specialists online here who can clarify for me exactly where the truth lies? On 3/20/06 3:20 PM, in article 1142896831.112240.159640@i39g2000cwa.googlegroups.com, >> I have to go along with William Stacey description of this as bizarre. >> I am somewhat dubious of the persons story as told because of their [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > Are there any retina specialists online here who can clarify for me > exactly where the truth lies? The urgency depends on whether the macula is on, threatened, or off. If it is a small inferior detachment, it can stay OK for a "relatively" long time. If it is superior, it will come off faster. If the macula is threatened, that is most urgent (<1 day). If the macula is already off, it it not urgent; the damage is already done, and can wait a week or so for repair. It all depends on the exam particulars, which you do not have. Unfortunately, it can also depnd on the adequacy of the staff, as you mentioned above. > In article > <1142829036.073716.162530@v46g2000cwv.googlegroups.com>, [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > emergency. That's what they do. That's why they call it > an "ER". You didn't make it clear that they could do more than just diagnose it. They have eye docs at every hospital. They can admit you and operate or whatever as soon as indicated. I get the impression that the OP thinks they would simply diagnose and tell him to go home and make an appointment with a specialist (which is what they would do if it's not immediately threatening). -Quick |
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