• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

Laser time (1)

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Garthion

Garthion

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Had my retinal lasering today (well half of it) at Burton On Trent, which isn't a bad place to go, nice and relaxing if you're feeling nervous about things (I certainly was)

I say that I had half the lasering because I only had my right eye done today as I really couldn't have coped with having both eyes done. The pain was simply imense, even causing me to cry-out a few times as the lasering was near the center of the retina (most painful part) took nearly half an hour for just the one eye so quite a lot of work done, and now I have to wait a secind appointment to have my left eye done though I am now a little more nervous as I actually reached the limit of my pain threshold during the process.

The consultant was really good however, when I first started getting uncomfortable the consultant told me that there was only a short while left (80% done) then finally told me when there were only 2 minutes left and was really gentle espescially at the end when he realsied how distressed I'd become. He also advised me to take some strong painkillers over the next couple of days to reduce the pain and discomfort.

I will go for the next appointment (and have some pain relief beforehand) as I really want to keep my sight, but can not promise how I will be feeling in the run-up to it, now that I know what it is like.
 
Sorry you had such a painful experience Dale. As you say, it is worth it for your sight, and it is good that the consultant was a caring one. I have had no experience of it, so can't offer any words of wisdom, only that I hope that you recover quickly and that the next one is nowhere near as bad.
 
yes, also sorry to hear how distressing it was for you. Hope you are feeling more comfortable now and im sure it will be worth it
 
I've had some "strong" co-codamol which has eased the pain somewhat, just wish that I didn't have to go for a second time, as I'll probably be more nervous now knowing what it is like (can still feel the contact lens on my eye!) and it just makes me even more determined to get a pump (will ask my DSN when I see her early next year, and keep pushing for one 'till I get one!)

Strange thing about this lasering is that I can use my laptop with out too much discomfort but watching TV is causing my eye to throb a little, they should have the same refresh rate with them both being LCD screens, but obviously not. I have posted a more detailed version of my experience on another forum I am involved with (a trainsim one) which (if people like Northener are OK with) I would like to copy to this thread just to show what my experience was really like (plus I'm slowly increasing other people's knowledge of our illness)
 
Please do post it if you'd like to Dale, I don't have a problem with it 🙂
 
OK then, exact copy of what I wrote posted below...

As many of you know I have Diabetes (Type 1) and have had it for the last 10/11 years. Recently my control has improved a great deal (until I had that infection in September) but, due to me going through the denial stage for far too long, I have developed one of the myriad of complications, Diabetic Retinopathy. This is where, due to the thickening of my blood though high blood glucose, new capilliaies begin to grow on the retinas, these are very weak and can rupture at any point the only remedy (not cure as there isn't one) is to have retinal Laser surgery, sound horrible doesn't it, let me describe it and you can get an even better idea of it.

First off you get a basic sight chart test to see how your lenses are performing then you have two types of eye drop, one that dilates your pupil the other is a mild local anasthetic (which stings like anything) you then have a half hour wait while your pupil(s) become dilated to enable the lasering to be done properly. When your pupils are dilated, you enter the room where the laser machine is situated the process is further explained to you and you are asked to sign a consent form before another type of eye drop is applied to completey numb your eyes (though it doesn't always work) before a solid contact lens is placed on your eye along with a magnifyer to enable the consultant to see your retina and to focus the laser on your retina. Then the process begins, you need to keep your eyes open (both of them) during the preocess and keep your eyes perfectly still (if you move them, you can have other parts of your retinas damaged) the laser is intiall fairly painless, with only a faint itch for the first few zaps, the longer it goes on however the more painful it becomes, for this reason sessions usually only last for 1/2 hour as after this point the pain is beyind the pain threshold of most people. Normally many people only have one eye done at a time due to the increasing level of pain during the process. After the session is over the eye that has been done is extremely sore, and has a red overlay to the vision (due in part to the use of a green laser for the surgery, but also because of the fact that there is frequently bleeding after the operation) you are also advised to take some painkillers for at least 2 days after the operation as your eye can become increasingly painful all the time and also becomes hyper-sensitive to light for about a day afterwards.

Now, this should make you all think that this is a horrible process that no one should have to go through regularly, and yes, you would be right, it is very horrible, I know this as I had it done today at Burton on Trent. My right eye was done today, was meant to be both but the consultant advised against it due to the pain it would cause. I was being lasered for the full 30 minutes and was at my pain threshold at about 25 minutes but was calmly asked to keep going as there was so little left to do that I would be stupid to stop at that point. I didn't have my left eye done (needs doing just as much) as I just couldn't have coped with any more and wouldn't have been able to see a thing afterwards so I will have to go back soon for a second appointment with more pain :( ah well, hopefully I can prevent it having to be done again if I can persuade my Diabetes management team to let me use an insulin pump.

Well, that's my little tale for today, not wanting sympathy as I basically brought this on by my period of denial of diabetes, just wanted to let my thoughts out about it, as I was very nervous before the appointment, now I have to have another so I'm still nervous :(

If I was alowed to use expleteves on here,there would be a fairly long list of them here, but I've kept my mind in check 😉
Click to expand...

Note, the other forum is a family forum in which all expletives are banned hence the last line 😉

I think I deserve a little self treat for today, oh wait did that yesterday with a new phone to replace my rubbish cheapo touch screen phone I bought in May for ?30, this one was a little more ?120!
 
You definitely deserved to treat yourself Dale, thank you for posting that - it's interesting for people to know what the procedure entails. I take my hat off to you and hope that you don't have to wait and worry too long before the new appointment.
 
Hi Garthion... sorry to hear you've got another session coming up - it's not fun, is it?! Sounds like you got some good advice though - noone told me the pain would get worse after or about the sensitivity to lights etc so I panicked a bit afterwards - (In fact they hardly told me anything at all, I think they're working on the mushroom approach!) The first time (when they did both eyes) I'd tried to go into work the next day & the strip lights were agony! 😱 I must admit I haven't tried co-codamol before (probably cos I was preg when I had most of the lasering done, so stuck with paracetemol, doh!) but I'll bear that in mind on monday, when (if he can see through the bleed!) I suspect I'll be in for a bit of a session! I've booked the rest of the week off as I've learnt from experience that work vdus / strip lights are not nice post lasering...!

Anyway, sending you a bit sympathetic hug (((()))) from a fellow member of the Zap Club! 🙄

Twitchy x
 
Dale, thanks for posting, you are very brave. i forced myself to read it all as it sounds just awful :(

I sincerely hope once you,ve had the other eye done you never have to go through that again. take care xx
 
Thanks all,

Yesterday I was in a lot of pain in my right eye (wasn't at work, using a holiday up) so didn't use my PC or laptop at all, today I went to work but really wished I hadn't, my eye was throbbing in time to my pulse, and the monitor for the till at work was too bright (even though I turned the brightness down) which gave me a headache (Grr) did notice that my right pupil is still slightly dilated (now over 48hrs later) and this is causing me to squint when I'm in brightish light.

Currently I'm dreading the op on my left eye, if it's half as bad as my right I'll be in pain, not looking forwards to it at all. BUT it needs doing so I have no option but to bite the bullet and have the lasering done when the appointment comes.

Quick question.
Can someone tell me what the visual signs of a bleed are? I have a rather strange effect in my right eye now where a black patch appears if I move my eyes/head quickly from one side to the other, this disappears fairly quickly but does make me feel slightly dizzy until it does go.

Wonder when the letter for the next appointment will turn up!
 
Hi Garthion

Sorry to hear about your experience of lasering. I have been a diabetic for 24 years and my eyes were ok up until two months post pregnancy when I started getting floaters in my vision. They advised that I needed lasering and I have been getting it for over a year in both eyes.

I have noticed that each session gets more painful as the opthamologist told me that they have moved the lasering to the outer periphery of me eyes (where the nerve endings are). I have to go back on Thursday as I got another bleed in my vision. This was my own fault as I took part in a charity event where I was bag packing the whole day. I had not had a bleed in so long that I had completely forgotton the doctor's advise about heavy lifting causing bleeds!!

The only way that I can describe the visual signs of a bleed are that it is like a tree hanging over your eye with lots of branches. Your vision is also very blurred. Hopefully yours is not a bleed. I do notice that after laser, I experience a lot of sensitivity to light (it is like when you wake up in the middle of the night and someone switches a light on).

Before I go again on Thursday, I am going to take some pain relief beforehand and take the recommended dose throughout the day until the pain clears. I know what you are going through :( and I hope your experience is not as bad as the last one.

Claire
 
OK then, ithas now been 4 days since the op, can someone please explain why my right eye is still dilated? Using the tills at work today was pure agony even with me closing my eye for much of the time. If it isn't better tomorrow, I'm going to see if I can have a word with my GP. If she can't help, I will have to phone the hospital about it on Thursday (at work 7am to 5pm tomorrow so...)
 
Have got the time for my left eye to be zapped, NEXT Wednesday at 11am 😱 not much notice is it?

I will go to it, can't not do so, and it looks like they (the hospital) are considering giving me a local anasthetic after the problems with my right eye, that makes me a bit MORE nervous, ho hum.

Need to speak to my boss tomorrow about it as I will not go into work the day after (nor that weekend for that matter) not after my experience from part 1 😉

I hope that it will be the last appointment for some time, as I'm not looking forward to it :(
 
Hi Dale, I suppose it is good that you don't have too long to worry about it. I hope that this time isn't as bad as last time.
 
Hi all,

Yesterday was appointment 2, my left eye. I5t was totally different to my right eye (and longer) as they gave me a local anasthetic and then injected something into the muscle behind my eye to stop it moving, now that REALLY hurt. The lasering itself was far less painful this time until the surgeon had to start manually moving my eye around, that hurt. It took a couple of hour before the drug in the muscle wore off and my eye suddenly snapped into use (really disorientating) what didn't help was that I was in My dad's car at the time so it rather made me feel incredibly sick and gave me one major headache!
I took a dose of my usual co-codamol when I got home and went to bed for a couple of hours which eased the nausea and headache considerably and gave my eye enough rest to enable me to start reading a book. I'm going into Town today to treat myself with a couple of vouchers I have been given by the publishers of our local weekly paper (for selling over 150 consistently each week last year) which will hopefully take my mind off of the fact that my right eye needs MORE WORK, argh.
Yesterday I was terrified, as quite frankly following that infection, I have become terrified of needles (held by other people) even more so when they are near my eyes, now I have to have the same injection in my right eye for the finishing touches to be done, not happy to say the least :(
Now where did I put that eye patch :D

Oh yeah, one other thing, yesterday was done in a proper operating theater with the full compliment of staff, and I had to have a second (full tube) dose of the anasthetic drops after the first ones wore off. Got a bit of a black eye today 🙂
 
Thanks for the update Dale, it sounds very stressful so well done for getting through it. You certainly deserve to treat yourself! 🙂
 
Just had a phone call from the eye clinic, they have asked me to go in tomorrow for the final stuff for my right eye. Hopefully that will be the last visit (fingers crossed anyway) time will be 10:40hrs and hopefully it will be quicker.
 
Garthion said:
Just had a phone call from the eye clinic, they have asked me to go in tomorrow for the final stuff for my right eye. Hopefully that will be the last visit (fingers crossed anyway) time will be 10:40hrs and hopefully it will be quicker.
Click to expand...

Hope it goes well Dale, and that that is it for a very long time to come (if ever!) 🙂 Take care, I will be sending positive vibes your way!
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top