PVD, retinal tear, ERM

[Piratedino]

Hello

I am 36/f, non smoker, heathy except the eyes, not taking medications
I have high myopia (-9 in both eyes), had previously developed a couple of small holes and tears in my retina that were treated with laser and remained stable. I have been seeing an ophthamologist for a few years for this reason.  

About 8 weeks ago, I developed flashes and hundreds of floaters and I went to see my doctor who told me I was having a PVD but at the time no holes or tears.  A week after, I had developed a couple of weird spots in my vision and was then told I had developed a couple of large tears on the top of my eyeball.  I was treated with laser that same day.  Unfortunately, 2 weeks after the laser, I was told that some fluid was now getting past the laser and I had to be treated again but this time with an air bubble and laser. The second treatment seems to be holding, and there are no new tears or holes that have formed since then. I have developed a large portion in bottom 1/3 portion of my eye that shimmers, and has some blind spots there. I also have got a large floater that blocks at least 1/2 of my vision and makes everything look blurry and foggy. I could still read 20/20 on the Snellen chart but only if I take my time moving my floater out of the way in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the snellen chart.
A couple of days ago, things didn’t seem right in my vision as it was kind of wavy and blurry and had a weird flickering patch in the middle of my vision. I went to see my dr, and was told I had now developed a ERM. The doctor was unable to see it with her eyes, but could see it on the OCT. I was told that ERM is a very slowly progressing condition, and not to worry b/c if it ever got bad enough she would treat it with surgery and take my floater out while she was there.

I have a few questions and concerns. The eye now has a large flickering patch in the middle, with starburst like lines coming from it into the center of my vision, waviness, a large floater, and a large portion in the bottom of vision that shimmers. It causes my eye to become very fatigued very quickly, gives me a migraine and causes me to be nauseated. Is the flickering caused by the ERM likely to calm down after some time? I am thinking because the ERM had formed recently, it may not be done forming then am I correct to assume that the ERM has not yet “stabilized” and that will likely get worse in the coming weeks? Once the inflammation caused by the laser has gone down, is there a possibility that the ERM might get better? Is it also, safe to just patch that eye everyday as it causes me migraines and nausea? Or will that make the eye worse?

I am afraid to drive, even though the doctor said legally I am allowed to drive even with 1 eye closed but I would just have no depth perception. I went driving last night, and I had trouble due to the double vision, I can’t see when pedestrians are crossing the road when it is dark. Will this eventually improve?

Thank you so much

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

You ask good questions but I cannot answer them. Retina surgery is far more unique and individualistic that cataract/IOL surgery. Only the surgeon looking in your eyes can answer these questions.  I could only provide guesses and that is not what the web site is about.  Your other eye is at high risk of RD to report any problems with it immediately