Torn Retina

[mister frau blucher]

Hey, all,

Warning - grossness ahead!

Sorry I have been away from these boards the last month or so. I have been having some problems with my eyes the last couple of years, mostly from the vitreous sacks detaching from the retina. Evidently it is not too rare when people age, but it is worse for some than others. I was seeing flashes of light (which is the sack tugging at the retina) and moving clouds (which is the shriveled remains of the sack floating in the eye). In January it got worse in my left eye, when all of a sudden black tentacles seemed to emerge from a corner of reality and dissipate into layers of old glass and thousands of little dots.

Well, to get to the point, the sack's tugging at the retina tore some of the blood vessels, and the little dots were actual blood cells. Fortunately, the retina was not detached, so no surgery was required, and the cloudiness has cleared up as much as it ever will, I guess.

But for the last month it was very difficult and head-ache inducing to look at a computer screen. I have been by here to clean up spam, but little else.

Now that my eyes are better, I will be around. if I missed anything, please bring it to my attention in a thread or pm.

Thanks everyone for being nice in my absence! Now I need to get caught up in Vlad and Julie's game...

Bret

[nukesnipe]

You could have just told us the Missus slapped you cross-eyed. We wouldn't haven't have thought any worse of you!

Seriously, it's good to hear you're on the mend.

[vladtaltos]

I started getting "floaters" about ten years ago. It weirded me out pretty good when it started--seeing dots in front of my eyes. The doc told me it was normal, don't worry about it. They come and go, even to this day. About five years ago, I started suffering from chronic dry eye. When over-the-counter drops didn't help, I was given a prescription, and that ended that. On my most recent visit to the eye doctor, he told me "You'll get cataracts in about 15 years, maybe sooner." Thanks, Doc...I guess...for the early notice?!

So, I have something to look forward to. I'm not really enjoying this whole getting older thing. 

[julie]

Glad you're doing better, Bret!

I can hardly wait for all the eye-fun to start with me

[ednote]

Bret, I should have posted earlier that I very glad to hear that you are on the mend. I hope that you heal completely.

Warm regards,
Ed

[mister frau blucher]

Thanks for your well-wishes, everybody!

Getting old stinks, but it beats the alternative by a long ways!

[ednote]

There's a lot of stuff that only kids and old people can get away with.

Ed, willfully working towards Cantankerous Old Fart

[nukesnipe]

My problem is my eye problems hit me before I got "old". I was 42 when I had my first cataract surgery and 46 when I had the second. "Abnormal pre-senile cataracts" they called them. In both cases, it was 4 years from detection to surgery; they actually detected the cataract in my right eye during my final pre-op visit for the surgery to my left eye.

I'm naturally nearsighted in my left eye and farsighted in my right. With the fixed focal lengths of my implants my depth perception is shot and I can't focus on things at 3 feet. I literally can't focus on someone's face if they stand three feet in front of me; I either have to get "in their face" or step back. Of course, when I step back, people tend to step forward and I wind up getting chased around the room!

All of this is presented as an excuse for my mediocre 15mm miniatures painting efforts....

[ednote]

I see you don't post those pictures. The pictures of your miniatures which have been posted are far above mediocre.

Regards,
Ed

[mister frau blucher]

Scott, I agree with Ed regarding your painting. Your 15's are better than my 25's.

[nukesnipe]

Thanks guys. I now realize it looks like I was, but I really wasn't fishing for compliments.

[Lord Inar]

Mar 2, 2015 10:54:30 GMT -5 mister frau blucher said:

Getting old stinks, but it beats the alternative by a long ways!

Lyrics from a great Nicki Bluhm song:

It's not how you swim it's how you hold your breath
It's not about playing fair in this life
It's more about cheating death
If you don't like getting old
Well you'll hate the other choice I'm told
Cause it's a little too late to die young

My eyes 'turned 40' a while back with progressives that mostly work.

Glad to have you back!