Posterior Vitreous Detachment is quite bothersome, Age 54

by James Hendel
(Thunder Bay Ont. Canada)

Hi,
My incident started on February 15-2010. After doing some cabinet work in our kitchen, my back was sore. I asked my son (25 yrs) to push on my spine while I laid on the floor. When I got up I had a black dot with wings (looks like an airplane) in my left eye. I don't know if the cause was that I held my breath when he pushed, my doctor says it would have happened anyways sooner or later. I went the next day to my family doctor who referred me to a ophthalmologist who confirmed posterior vitreous detachment. Of course, I was told that there is no treatment for this and hopefully after full separation the membrane will fall to the bottom of the eye and maybe the body will absorb it.

I have been back to see the doctor every 3-4 months to check to see if the pulling away has caused a tears in the retina, but nothing so far.

Five months after the incident the doctor did notice a weakness on the retina in the other eye, so I had some laser surgery done to cause scar tissue to thicken the area up.

In March 2011 I was standing in the same kitchen (not doing any work) when I saw many floaters appear in my right eye. I heard that when you see so many at one time, it could be a retina tear. I rushed down to the emergency to have it looked at. My eye doctor was on call that night so he checked it out and it was only another detachment...now I have it in both eyes. The right eye floater looks more like a bullet hole through glass with other wiggly black lines.

What seems to bother me more is the pocket of vitreous that causes an area of blurriness, I keep on thinking there is a smug on my glasses. The other effect is how bright lights wash out what you are trying to look at especially if someone or something is in front of a window. Vehicle headlights at night looks like a star burst so I try not to look at them.

My doctor says that the only way he can tell if this is clearing up is by my symptoms...no flashes of light on the perihelia and less floaters.

I try not to bang or jar my head in anyway to avoid causing further damage and hope (pray) that this clears up to enjoy life again.