Cataract surgery this past December question

Around 10pm all of a sudden I lost vision in the one eye with the
implant/cataract surgery. It was a complete white light with no vision out
of that eye for a few minutes then a minute or two of flashing lights.
After the few minutes, the eye was fine. It scared me so bad I immediately
called the Doc and he said to come in tomorrow that maybe it is something to
do with a stroke in that eye or something to that affect. It is a two hour
drive to see him so I might try to get a appointment with a Retina Doc here
in my area.

Any ideas as to what this might be. This is my only good eye as the other
eye has a blind spot in it.

Thanks
Mary

You didn't say what your age is, but I'll assume it is typical cataract age
- over 65.

This transient vision loss is most likely due to temporary loss of
circulation to the eye. Can be due to emboli (particles in the bloodstream,
usually from the carotid artery) or early evidence of giant cell arteritis,
an inflmatory condition of the artery. Nothing in the eye itself can
generally cause such srastic, reversible changes.

Thins needs to be looked into ASAP, before a possibly permanent loss or a
stroke of the brain occurs. If it is giant cell arteritis, this can lead to
more serious health problems very quickly.


David Robins, MD
Board certified Ophthalmologist
Pediatric and strabismus subspecialty
Member of AAPOS
(American Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus)




On 6/7/04 9:16 PM, in article (E-Mail Removed), "Mary"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Around 10pm all of a sudden I lost vision in the one eye with the
> implant/cataract surgery. It was a complete white light with no vision out
> of that eye for a few minutes then a minute or two of flashing lights.
> After the few minutes, the eye was fine. It scared me so bad I immediately
> called the Doc and he said to come in tomorrow that maybe it is something to
> do with a stroke in that eye or something to that affect. It is a two hour
> drive to see him so I might try to get a appointment with a Retina Doc here
> in my area.
>
> Any ideas as to what this might be. This is my only good eye as the other
> eye has a blind spot in it.
>
> Thanks
> Mary
>
>

Thank you Dr. Robins, I will try and get an appointment today. My age is
61. When you said inflamatory, it made wonder if this some side effect of
having Crohn's Disease and I just finished having a blood transfusion.

Thanks again
Mary


"David Robins, MD" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:BCEAA8FA.21FED%(E-Mail Removed)...
> You didn't say what your age is, but I'll assume it is typical cataract
age
> - over 65.
>
> This transient vision loss is most likely due to temporary loss of
> circulation to the eye. Can be due to emboli (particles in the
bloodstream,
> usually from the carotid artery) or early evidence of giant cell
arteritis,
> an inflmatory condition of the artery. Nothing in the eye itself can
> generally cause such srastic, reversible changes.
>
> Thins needs to be looked into ASAP, before a possibly permanent loss or a
> stroke of the brain occurs. If it is giant cell arteritis, this can lead
to
> more serious health problems very quickly.
>
>
> David Robins, MD
> Board certified Ophthalmologist
> Pediatric and strabismus subspecialty
> Member of AAPOS
> (American Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus)
>
>
>
>
> On 6/7/04 9:16 PM, in article (E-Mail Removed),
"Mary"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> > Around 10pm all of a sudden I lost vision in the one eye with the
> > implant/cataract surgery. It was a complete white light with no vision
out
> > of that eye for a few minutes then a minute or two of flashing lights.
> > After the few minutes, the eye was fine. It scared me so bad I
immediately
> > called the Doc and he said to come in tomorrow that maybe it is
something to
> > do with a stroke in that eye or something to that affect. It is a two
hour
> > drive to see him so I might try to get a appointment with a Retina Doc
here
> > in my area.
> >
> > Any ideas as to what this might be. This is my only good eye as the
other
> > eye has a blind spot in it.
> >
> > Thanks
> > Mary
> >
> >
>