Retina Detachment

I had a retinal detachment of my right eye and retinal tear on my left eye at the beginning of Jan 2013 and was told by the consultant at the Royal Hallamshire in Sheffield I was probably weeks away from going blind in my right eye :open_mouth:
I’d had the floaters in my eyes for about 2 year and also saw flashes of light every so often in the corner of my right eye but like an idiot never had it checked out :unamused:
It was only through my partner forcing me to go to the opticians when we got back from Gran Canaria on New Years Eve that I found out the shocking results.
They referred me straight away to the Royal Hallamshire and they admitted me that day to operate the next morning as an emergency. I had all the jelly took out the back of the right eye and had a bubble full of oil which floates up pushing the retina back up to the top of the eye they then froze the retina back to the eye and " spot welded" the retina to the top of the eye with laser to secure it all.
I had the tear on my left eye lasered up and this was all done under general anaesthetic Due to me having the bubble of oil instead of air I had to go back 3 months later for another op to remove it. The bubble of air removes its self over time where as the oil doesn’t.
I also had some more laser done. I was off work a total of 6 month and I had to inform the DVLA where they sent me to an approved DVLA opticians (my local hospital was one) and had to do the field test and snellen chart and some other tests done. While they were investigating my case I was allowed to drive even my HGV however after about 8 weeks they wrote to me saying they had revoked my HGV entitlement due to failing the field test. I didn’t agree with this as my consultant told me I was fit to drive again including HGV’s que a long winded battle with the DVKA over about 6 months trying to get my entitlement put back on.
I even asked my consultant if he could give me a field test and he said yes and I went back to the hospital did the test and didn’t miss one dot :open_mouth: He wrote a letter saying my entitlement should be reinstated as there was nothing wrong with my eyesight now.
After 6 month of battling the tosses in Wales I finally got my HGV entitlement back on a 3 year period which ironically runs out this Saturday so I have reapplied for it.
I did get a cataract form in my right eye about 18 month ago which my consultant did say would happen at some point due to the treatment I had done and had that removed and a long distance lens put in my right eye in a 45 min operation. I didn’t inform the DVLA about this and was back driving after 2 week.
I had an eye test done and now have to wear glasses for driving now and my prescription changed slightly this year how ever I fall well within the requirements for HGV drivers. If I was you mate I’d the operation as soon as possible as a detached retina is only going to get worse not better and the earlier you the treatment done the better the outcome.
With it being the bottom of the eye it isn’t as serious as if it was the top wear the detachment has happened but it’s still a serious matter that wants sorting sooner rather than later. Sorry for the long winded reply but I wanted to give you as much info as I could and I wish you the best of luck.