retinal detachment and laser barricade

[darknessfalls]

I'm a female, mid-20s, diagnosed with a chronic temporal retinal detachment. It was an incidental finding on routine eye exam. I hadn't experienced any flashes, floaters or noticed loss of peripheral vision until it was pointed out. I should mention that I have high myopia and extensive lattice degeneration in both eyes. Since then I have sought different opinions from retina specialists and heard everything from scleral buckle to vitrectomy to observation (one doctor thought it looked like it had regressed somewhat).

Most recently one specialist suggested doing laser barricade. Given the chronicity of my retinal detachment (probably at least a year given the pigmentation present) and lack of progression he thinks it's not necessary to do an invasive surgery at this time. I'm aware that the laser treatment will only "wall off" the detachment and not actually fix it and that the detachment could progress past the barricade. Are there significant risks to the laser and will the laser barricade interfere with future treatments I may need in the future? It seems that most people have prophylactic laser for tears before they become detachments. Has anyone had this procedure done on a existing detachment?

[Eutana]

I also experienced a retinal detachment in my early 20s.  However, I did notice the symptoms and sought treatment.  Unfortunately, I was not able to find a physician that knew what they were doing.  It took a year to find a good surgeon that specialized in this field.  By then the detachment was almost complete.  The doctor offered to testify for me if I wanted to sue the previous doctors that he called "negligent".  I did not sue. I just wanted to save my vision.  I had a scleral buckle done on my right eye and several laser procedures on my left eye.  My right eye is only good for peripheral vision.  My central vision is extremely distorted.  Thankfully, with corrective lenses I am able to see with my left eye.

If you aren't sure about your current eye doctor, you owe it to yourself to get another (2 or more) opinions.  Once your vision is gone, you can't get it back.  

[Doreen Fazio, M.D.]

If there is pigmentation along the posterior edge of the detachment, your body has started to wall off this detachment on its own.  Laser barricade, if needed, will not affect the success of any future treatments which may be required.  In the hands of an experienced retina specialist, there are minimal risks to the laser.  Another option is careful monitoring with sequential Optos exams and dilated retinal exams, to see if the detachment is stable or has progressed.