Retinal Tear Laser Surgery

I had the same thing after laser. It has improved. That being said, getting a recheck can never hurt just to be sure that nothing has changed or a detachment has not developed.

I also experienced dry eye after laser which contributed to the blurriness although my eye is still blurry and it has been 2 months. The black area isn't as visible now but instead appears more like a blur at times and constant static.

Hi Tiffany, has your dry eye improved?    Just had the surgery 4 days ago, and I can't really tell if it is dry eye or like I feel like the eye is bleeding.   They said I had 2 small tears they fixed but continue to have discomfort and vision is definitely distorted even with glasses.   Follow up isn't for a little more than a week and struggling to think about anything but this.   They also told me no exercise for a week, which doesn't seem like a big deal, but I work out daily.

The dry eye has improved slightly but I still use eye drops for the dryness. I also got some new floaters after the laser. My doctor told me no strenuous activity for 2 weeks because it takes 1-2 weeks for the scar tissue to form. The vision in that eye is still distorted but much less than it was at first. Now, it is mainly blurred and slightly double vision, it improves slightly with glasses. I also still have the static in the area that was lasered and sometimes when I blink I see black spots with static inside. I also get shimmery glitter spots through my field of vision that come and go. Night vision is slightly decreased.

Forgot to mention but from what I have read, small new floaters could be red blood cells from bleeding.

Thanks for the feedback.   This whole thing is a major bummer, but nothing you can do.   Night vision for me too is definitely worse.   The new small floaters I only see in certain lighting but guess I have to give it the 2 weeks to heal.   Thanks again.

Hi Mike 

i had laser surgery on the 11th Oct and returned in the two weeks to be told I needed further surgery which I had on the 30th. Relieved to say just back from hospital and all now ok.

its a bummer no exercise I too used to go to the gym each day and I’m a hiker but the two weeks following the surgery are the “danger time”. They can’t fix a retina tear they can only “weld” around it to stop it increasing and this takes two weeks to heal. During this time anything strenuous or anything that raises your blood pressure could ‘pop’ the weld. I’m sorry to say the floaters are with you for evermore but the blurry vision I was told today should decrease over time and that it’s the bits of blood left from the tear and they will eventually re absorb. My blurryness was definitely much worse in the first few weeks. My floaters are a mix of stringy black threads and dark black dots. For me most noticeable on a bright sunny day or when using computer screens, which I do all day as I’m an accountant. Hang in there, I hope it will all be ok and after the two weeks you will be sorted and able to return to your normal life. Please keep us posted 

Thank you for the feedback Ann.   The worst part is you don't know what to expect.   Surprised you had to have further surgery.   Did you have detachment?    Definitely more floaters then before, but these are smaller and more noticeable like you say on the computer screen.    Thank you.

Hi Mike No I had a tear in my retina described as “not big but not small either” I was so despondent when I went back and was told I needed further surgery. They said that until it heals they can’t be sure they have got it all and also if there was liquid under it that may be another reason I needed more as it might not have taken. 75% had sealed but needed the other 25% redoing. Today though they signed me off for 12 month’s with the proviso that if I get a mass of floaters or flashing to get back immediately. It’s left me nervous about doing stuff, and conversely so long away from exercise I’m now unfit so it will be more strenuous to get back there. But I intend to start back probably in the morning gently building my fitness back up.

Did you do any kind of exercise during the first couple weeks?   Walking at least?

No nothing, nothing now for a month apart from a couple of walks on holiday last week. I asked if I could walk and they said yes  but as my other half pointed out they didn’t mean hiking up a mountain, plus I was worried if I slipped and knocked my head it would be game over. I was probably over cautious but I dread the thought of losing my sight so played safe 

Maybe that's a Weiss ring floater? (google it for more info)

It’s only in the portion of the eye where my partial detachment is.  It almost looks like a pac-man ghost/glob that quickly runs along my nasal.  I only see it randomly when I come inside from outside.  

Sounds annoying Doug - did you ask your doctor what it might be?

What color is your blob? Sometimes I get a jellyfish type blob bear my nose where I had the laser, it's like looking through distorted glass but comes and goes. I also see dark black blob at times, usually it comes when I blink but I've seen it other times too. I don't always see it though.

Yes.  Mine comes and goes.  I guess it’s almost black with an outline...I definitely could categorize it as a jellyfish.  I also get a lot of annoying flickering in the same area

It like runs along my nasal and I blink and it goes away 

Hello  Tiffany

My blob is grey and floats all over my visual field, it came after laser of my huge retinal tear , so annoying, i always have to find a clean window to see through.

I was wondering if yag laser helps to break this always moving nightmare.

My patience is wearing off hoping for a cure to save us floater sufferers once for all.

Hello Doug

I have a huge grey blob free floating in my visual field, it has been 4 years since my laser of a huge retinal tear,  it is a nightmare! And still no beam of hope for cure😢

I was at the hospital Tuesday signed off after two lots of laser surgery for a torn retina and told to “live with” my floaters.....

HEllo Anne

There will still be a lot of floaters three days past laser surgery, a lot of them will go , BUT a lot stays ! It has been 4 years for my laser surgery, ny floaters were a lot the first week, then gradually they got less( so my doctor said) but whatever is left is making me really miserable, all i do is think about my floaters.

Good luck to you all💐

Jennifer that is a bummer.   Had the surgery just over a week ago.   Floaters are prevalent when in bright light or bright background.   I have 1 large consistent one that I have had for over a month.   Was hoping others would be gone.   Is it the gel separating from the retina or blood from bleeding?

Hi Mike. Its probably a combination of both for you at the moment. I’ve been told the blood will eventually disappear when it absorbs but the others, the gel that broke away, will be with you for life. They say you do get used to it and notice it less. I hope you do. My first op was Oct 11th and mine have definitely improved though not gone 

Hi Ann. I’m new to this forum, like you I had laser on 11 Oct, another one on 20th and cryopexy on 15th Nov. I have the jellyfish like floaters and a lot of dust like small black dots. It was/is so scary and annoying. My next check up is on 5th Dec. I really hope the freezing therapy worked. It’s so nice to read other people stories and feel you are not alone. All the best 🙏

Not sure if I'll ever go for yag laser, the laser seems to leave quite an aftermath. How old are you if you don't mind me asking? I find the floaters bothersome and the static and lights very scary. I'm 34 and worried about what the future holds in terms of my sight. Did your flashes improve in time?

I hope that the cryotherapy worked for you. How old are you if you don't mind me asking? Did you have a PVD? I have a partial PVD in my left eye, the Vitreous is tugging on both of my retinas though. Did you experience anything like looking into a microscope during the PVD or post-laser period? At times I can close my eyes and see a lit image of geometric patterns or ribbons (pressure phosphenes). I also have small blinking lights almost constantly that come and go through my field of vision . Have you experienced any of this?

Hi Tiffany I’m 54 and had no choice with going for the surgery. I had a tear in my retina caused by a partial PVD which if left untreated would almost certainly become a detachment which can lead to loss of sight and much bigger procedures, detachment repair with longer recovery time . If you have flashes know you have had a PVD and / or an influx of floaters I urge you to see a specialist quickly. Flashes were not an issue for me, I had a mass of floaters which was diagnosed as a PVD. 

I should add the laser surgery left me with no side effect. The floaters I’m left with are a result of the tear nit the surgery 

Hi Tiffany.

I’m 47 and have myopia (-4.5). It seems like myopics are predisposed for retinal tears.

I have pvd too. The flashes disappeared after first laser..I’m just left with  a lot of floaters and hope at least some of them will settle in time. 

You should go for a check up as sooner is better. 

It's interesting how much symptoms differ between people. I've been to 3 separate retinal specialists, almost one per week (has been 2 weeks at times) the last 3 months. I have some big floaters that are grey and many translucent small ones. The floaters are so annoying. I hope that yours settle soon.

It's funny because when I was talking to an opthomologist recently (had some Starbursts and glare that was new) he said with all of my lattice degeneration that he would expect me to be myopic but I am not. He said I have nearly perfect eyes (despite the fact that the Vitreous is pulling on my retina, I have retinal hole that was lasered, lattice e degeneration in both eyes, and now glare and Starbursts around light and slightly double vision in the eye that was lasered). I'm hoping that my flashes subside eventually.

I hope so Tiffany. 

Do you have the floaters in both eyes? Also, do you do a lot of close up work?

I was thinking to see another retina specislist just for a second opinion. I’m worried I will struggle to do my job properly as I do the accounts for few companies  

On a positive note I’ve received my new computer glasses this morning and they are brilliant as the floaters are less noticeable so less annoying. The glasses are 50% gray tinted / anti glare. I recommend these type of glasses for all floaters sufferers.

Oh that’s very interesting Daniela I too do accounts for a living and I’m finding the floaters very noticeable against the screen. I wear contacts so was thinking of getting light tint sunglasses 

Oh Ann, these 50% tinted glasses are brilliant. I’ve used them today and they make such a difference. The floaters are still there but less visible/ faded.

Even though they look quite dark they are not uncomfortable to wear. A bit expensive (£236) but worth it. 

It seems like all the close up/computer work didn’t do any good to our eyes. Are you myopic too Anne?

Yes -3.5 & -3.75 I have multi focal contacts and varifocal glasses. Oh and just to make matters worse my main hobby is reading😀

My main hobby is gardening, 2 months ago I started a garden designer course and of course I couldn’t study at all because of the eye condition. I was also afraid to work in the garden so now it is full of weeds How quick our lives could change!

Yes I’m a walker too but was afraid of going hiking post surgery in case I slipped and fell and the gym was banned by the docs so very unfit now. Trying to motivate myself to return

I have the floaters in both eyes but more in my left eye that was lasered. I am a nurse and do a lot of charting and also assessments. When I'm in the exam room with patients or in the patient rooms with the lights on the floaters are very visible. The nurse's station is so bright that I even see the floaters on my report sheet. If I go into a patient room that is dimly lit, I see the flashes and little sparkly dots in the room. It's definitely worrisome.

I absolutely love gardening! Vegetable plants especially. We will be able to resume eventually . Those glasses so understanding interesting, I will look into them. My floaters really distract me when driving.

I've heard there are some good audiobooks available through your local library if you're in the US. If not ,I've been told you can download audio books for a small fee through Amazon.

Hi Tiffany 

Have you been told what those sparkly dots are? I think I get those...

I thought it was something like blue field entopic phenomenon.  I get that a lot outside 

So, I definitely see blue field entopic phenomenon. I also see sparkly dots when inside, they're much worse when in at work. I am pretty sure that it is the Vitreous tugging on my retina. I did not have blue field entopic or the sparkly dots before the laser.

Hi Tiffany. Good news, the cryotherapy worked and a nice scar has formed, thanks god.

I’m just trying now to cope with the jellyfish floaters which are so annoying when you have to do a lot of computer work. The shower of small black dots gone too. My next appointment is in 6 weeks. All the best 😊