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• Vitrectomy Surgery
• Posted: 2008-02-08 17:50:51 By Peter F
• Hey Darran Z good to see you are still here. Would love to debate a little on Stem Cell and SPP NAU stuff in another post.
  If you remember my son Max was diagnosed about 8 years ago with RP and we had some lively debates on vitamin regimens.
  The end of 2007 was good news with Max retaining his central and peripheral vision with little change over almost two years.
  2008 though bought another challenge as his Retina tore and fluid seeped behind causing detachment. I did not know that a side effect of RP is thinning of the Retina. He had surgery three weeks ago and with a Gas Bubble method the operation was successful. The bad news is that during the examinations another weak spot was discovered and fluid is seeping behind that spot. He is back in surgery again at 6 a.m. tomorrow.
  Has anyone information on this type of surgery? We have a choice of the Gas Bubble being injected into the eye again or the Silicon Oil Bubble. The success rate of either operation appears to be the same the only difference is the recovery. The Gas Bubble requires staying face down 10 –14 days or more then the Bubble slowly dissipates with vision slowly returning after several weeks. The Oil Bubble method allows you to be active two after days after the operation but you cannot see out of that eye for 3 – 4 months and requires a second operation to remove the Oil.
  Anyone have any experience or thoughts.
  Peter F
  

• Re: Vitrectomy Surgery
• Posted: 2008-02-09 01:11:55 By marcie s
• hello my name is marcie from wa state i have known about my rp since i was 19 it started with one little blurry spot in my left eye and now im 27 i have 5 percent on my peripheral in let and less then 15on the right eye i have had 8 surgeries many many shot in my right eye and laser 4 surgeries,right now im having problem with swelling in the retina and my shots arent working ... well i dont know much about those oil bubbles but i have had the same thing happen to me i had the first one and it worked in that spot then a new spot lifted so i had the second surgery and my doctor sealed all the way around and know i havent have any lifting at all and its be over three years and for me pesonally i didnt mind the gas bubble , the oil bubble sounds a little more complicated then the gas but i however cant really say for sure because i have never heard of them like do you know how they remove them? another surgery ? but i think its really a personal choice.. how old is your son max?(sorry for being such a blabber mouth..) i hope for the best with max and that all goes well good luck and best wishes

• Re: Re: Vitrectomy Surgery
• Posted: 2008-02-09 15:40:23 By Peter F
• Thanks Marcie
  The surgery this morning was successful and the Dr said he lasered everything that he could. Now we can just pray that my son (he is 18) will regain the vision in his right eye to somewhere near the previous state. After research I found the Oil Bubble is used for more extreme cases and where the Gas bubble cannot push continually on the retina, such as the bottom of the eye. The Oil bubble also requires a second operation where they remove the Silicon Oil and replace the Vitreous. The Gas Bubble naturally disapates over time so does not require the second operation.
  Thank you for your thoughts.
  Peter

• Re: Vitrectomy Surgery
• Posted: 2008-02-12 18:30:10 By Darran Z
• LOL. Unfortunately, I'm still around...
  
  Glad to hear the surgery seems to be a success for your boy. I hope it continues that way.
  
  Darran

• Re: Vitrectomy Surgery
• Posted: 2008-02-13 13:40:19 By Elizabeth S
• Peter my son had the vitrectomy procedure on the 19th of December. He stayed in a downward position for 21 days and then slept in that position for another month. I spent $462.86 on rental fees for the chair and bed pillow to assist my son for comfort and support (hopefully they have given you information re: these devices and hopefully your insurance will cover some of the cost - my insurance covered $80.00) it was still worth every penny. It is critical that no matter the situation that he stay in this position and even if he is antsy. I was very blessed with my nine year old son - he worked with us and when we were at our wits end we started all over again with a movie, a puzzle, a game boy, a card from a friend. It was a team effort from everyone you know. I know that this is your second time around and we are not guaranteed anything, but if we are committed to doing this very important part (staying face down 24 hours a day) we are more apt to see the results. Now my son had the gas and I am grateful we chose this route.
  He was hit in the eye with a golf ball in July. He has cordial tear (3), macular hole (with surgery - has now resolved) and optic nerve compression. He sees although at 20/200. Next week we go in to see an ophthalmologist for refraction and if this is a possibility then corrective lens can help him to see. It is in God's hands - as it in your son's - just use your time to the best of your ability. We will continue to be under the care of a retinist and we except this as since surgery he has a cataract and will have retinal detachments and glaucoma and all of which we will just monitor. We are in a time and date where we have medicinal miracles and crafty doctors - keep your chin up. Liz Please write with any questions

• Re: Vitrectomy Surgery
• Posted: 2008-02-15 07:58:24 By terri h
• my son is 17 and has had 2 laser surgeries 6 yrs ago to stop bleeding (he has choroideremia) the disease has not progressed but now he has scar tissue that is creeping and causing him to loose sight. i have read alot about the virectomy surgery that helps with scarring in diabetics. my question is has anyone had a problem with scar tissue and what if any treatment was done. i am not getting alot of help from his dr. he says that the only help would be stem cells (which if i knew anyone that has gone overseas and had treatment with success i would do that.)

• Re: Re: Vitrectomy Surgery
• Posted: 2008-02-15 17:19:10 By Peter F
• Terri, my son's surgeon advised that there is a strong posibility of scar tissue affecting the eye that was operated on. I have been discussing and researching steroid use as a possible way to mitigate this. Unfortunately there is little knowledge on this. One study I found has some related in formation. I will be pleased to share any other information I find. Here is the study.
  
  Drug Reduces Swelling of Central Retina in Patients with RPBy Ben A. Shaberman05/01/2007
  Cystoid macula edema (CME) is a complication in approximately 10-15 percent of people affected by retinitis pigmentosa (RP). CME can cause increased vision loss and retinal deterioration beyond what occurs as a result of RP.Cystoid macula edema (CME) is a complication in approximately 10-15 percent of people affected by retinitis pigmentosa (RP). CME can cause increased vision loss and retinal deterioration beyond what occurs as a result of RP.In an eight-patient clinical study funded by the Foundation Fighting Blindness, Gerald Fishman, M.D., University of Illinois at Chicago, demonstrated that dorzolamide, a drug commonly used to treat glaucoma, is effective in reducing the swelling and cysts associated with CME. Most patients showed sustained improvement of CME with long-term use of the treatment.Though ophthalmologists use other drugs to treat CME including steroids and nonsteroidal anti-infl ammatory agents, many of these treatments can’t be used long term,because of unsafe side effects. With some of these treatments, recurrence of CME is also common.A drug similar to dorzolamide, acetazolamide, is sometimes used to treat CME, but Fishman believes that patients are less likely to experience a recurrence of CME when using dorzolamide.Fishman reports that all patients in his study showed a signifi cant reduction in swelling in at least one eye after using dorzolamide three times a day for one to two months. Six patients showed improvement in swelling in both eyes. Seven patients experienced a small degree of subjective improvement in their visual acuity. Three patients showed visual acuity improvement of seven letters or more.Patients in the study continued treatment with dorzolamide for a period of 7 to 15 months. During that time, six patients showed sustained improvement in CME in at least one eye. Two patients had recurrence of CME in both eyes.Results of the study were published in the January 10, 2007 issue of the British Journal of Ophthalmology.Fishman notes that more patients need to be studied to make a more defi nitive conclusion about the effectiveness of dorzolamide for the treatment of CME. He will expand his Foundation-funded study to further document the sustained benefi t of dorzolamide, and also determine if the drug is more benefi cial when administered at an earlier stage of disease.In a different study, which was covered in the winter 2007 issue of InFocus, Fishman showed that dorzolamide was effective in improving the retinal health of people affected by X-linked retinoschisis.
  
  Peter