light gray area in vision

[corks100]

Has anyone in this website experienced having a light gray area/spot in their vision after retinal detachment surgery?  None of the 2 doctors I spoke to seem to really know what it is.  All they tell me is that I have to give my eye time to heal more.  I agree with this of course.  But I am worried that it might be something that if caught early would be better for me.

I am 3.5 months post retinal detachment surgery (PPV and gas bubble).  My vision continues to improve for the better except for this light gray area in my vision really close to the center.  I thought it was blood before since I also had a small retinal tear which was lasered a month ago.  I thought it was new blood (as what my doc said ) and thought it might be taking longer for the center of my eye to heal as the peripheral vision.  The doctor didnt see the tear right away as it took a while for the blood to get re-absorbed in my eye.  The light gray area also SEEMS to be getting smaller but I am not sure if it is still getting smaller.  It was definitely bigger than it is now over a month and a half ago though.  It is somehow affecting my focusing and reading.

Has anyone here experienced this on this website?  IF you did, did it eventually go away?  I was thinking of getting a third opinion.  The two doctors I spoke to also didnt have quite the same diagnosis which really made me sad today.  

Please share and advice.  Thanks so much.

[corks100]

I did both tests i think-visual field test and amsler grid test.  I didnt see any waves on the amsler grid. But then a portion of it (a portion of the bottom section below the dot i cant see which is the size of a dropping baseball when it used to be the size of the map of Texas) I cant see.  With the field test, i have a hard time reading part of the letters when it is small.  I have to blink since the light gray area is making it difficult for me to read.

When I look and read "Immaculate Comcepcion" fro example, I can only see "Immacula..... ....cepcion"  without moving my eyes.  Also , the top portion of the letters and not the bottom part I cant see unless i move my eyes. This light gray area SEEMS to be getting smaller but I am not certain, if it is getting smaller it is happening VERY SLOWLY or it might have stopped.  it was bigger before when i still had more blood in my eye.  I am really worried about it.

Retinal Specialist # 3:
I also had an OCT done when i saw retinal specialist #3.  she said my results were ok and pretty good.  She said mine looked really close to a normal OCT after PPV.  

With the florescine angiogram test is where she was a bit unsure I think.  She pointed to where the light gray area might be which looked like a weird vein and didnt say anything else.  I really wish I didnt tell her what my original/first doctor said because I felt that she just went by the same thing the original doctor said...which was just to give it time (a year at least!).

I also asked asked her if she thought it might be an edema, scar, etc and she said I dont have any of those. She said I didnt need anymore surgery and she wouldnt touch it right now.  I thought she also said that this is normal for PPV sometimes and also thought she said that my retina isnt quite smoothened out or something.  I am thingking of calling her again actually and confirming.  But right now, she said there is nothing that can be done but to give it time.  She also said my cataracts are small and wouldnt need surgery until a year or two later on.

Retinal Specialist #2
The second doctor said that I had scars.  He said that I would need more surgery in my eye...surgery (for the scars I think is what he meant) and another one for cataracts.  I told him about the light gray area and he said this concerns him and would need an OCT and angiogram done on me.  I saw this second doc before the third.


What do you think Dr, Hagan?
1) should I give it another month or two at least and see how it develops before seeing another retinal specialist?

2) I am worried it might be something that is better caught early so it can be fixed.  So I am debating about whether to see another one.

3) I am 3.5 months post PPV and gas bubble.  is it too soon to get nervous about it and I should really give it more time to heal?

4) Is this light gay area normal for people recovering from PPV and gas bubble?

5) what are your thoughts, suggestions, conclusions, etc doctor?

I am also worried about medical insurance.  The Commissioner for the Blind and Visually Impaired ORganization is helping me with my medical bills right now.  i am using my unemployment money to pay for these other specialists who doesnt seem to know what is going on or unsure of what is going on?  Their websites seem to be good, but when you get there, they are unsure (except for retinal specialist # 2 since he didnt do an angiogram nor an OCT yet).

Please give me your opinion, thoughts, conclusions doc.  I am just relaxing right now and thinking about what my next move should be.  I am trying not to be concerned about money as this is my eye.  

P.S.  all around the eye is actually slowly getting better.  the light gray area is still there.  It is thinning on the sides by the way.  Please help!

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

We have had some post like that before. Might want to get a second opinion. might was to have visual field test and amsler grid test

JCHMD