Amniotic Membrane Surgery

[dianat]

I sure hope things go well for you, Joey, and that you get the results you are looking for. Keep us posted.

Diana

[Nikki]

working after AMT/chalasis surgery

Hi,

I was wondering, for those that have had conjunctivochalasis removal/ amniotic membrane grant surgery on both eyes at a time - were you able to see claearly to function ok during the days/weeks after your surgery? I'm going to get both eyes done I've decided - just to get it over with - but am wondering if I'm going to need to be off work for longer than the week that I'm planning.

I hope that I'm not awake for the surgery like Joey - I'm sure that I would be really freaked out if I was - I'm glad you got through it, Joey

Joey - is your right eye getting clearer, or is it still as blurry?

Scott

[DESTINY]

Np & Scott

Np, No it did not include my anestesia. That was an additional $1300.00. but luckily my insurance is paying for most of that as well. Scott, I did both eyes at the same time and I am happy that I did. Some people have said that they have blurriness but for me I did not have any of that. The more I think about it, I think that I am used to seeing blurry because my eyesight isn't the best but I've just never had contacts because my eyes were to dry to even think about it. I will tell you that for the 1st week my eyes looked really bad. One worse than the other. So maybe you will have two good eyes. After about the 2nd week I started to go out without sunglasses.

I a little over 4 weeks post op and my eyes are 90% better! My left eye is about 95% and my right is about 90%. My left eye is white and no folds in my conjunctiva. You can see a little bit of the membrane still but it is only noticable to me close up in the mirror but it doesn't matter because it is white and smooth. My right eye has a small dot like red vein in it that is disappearing every day. It seems to be getting lighter and lighter which is making me feel better. I am still using steroids and antibiotics but all in all this surgery at this point seems to be a great decision. My husband tells me that my eyes don't look red anymore and they look like I've never had any problems. That's good feedback from someone other than myself. I will let you know how it looks after I am off of the steroids. That is the one part that makes me nervous! I still have 3 weeks before my eyes are supposed to be normal. If they keep healing the way they are now I will be very happy!

Destiny

[np1981]

Destiny,

I read in one of your posts that you were diagnosed with Blepharitis, did you get that under control prior to surgery?

[Joey]

Day 6

Hello all,

Well today is my first day back to work. I am finding it a litle difficult. Everyone is being really nice and supportive. It is just that my operated eye is still blurry and now it is dry. I feel like I need to put some sort of lubricating drops in it, but I can't. I am only supposed to put the steroid and antibiotic drops in it. I think those may be clouding my vision, too. I work all day on a computer, so this is really challenging. Good thing I decided to do one eye at a time. So today is day number 6, and so far my results are not very good. But I do have hope that it will improve. I just really wish that wetness feeling that I had on the first day was still there. I wonder if the drops are drying out my eye??

[np1981]

Hang in there Joey, I guess you just need to be patient.

What type of steroid and antibiotic drops are you using?

Nik

[Joey]

The steroid is Prednisolone and the anti-b is Ofloxacin.

Thanks for the thought. I know I just need to be patient. I wish I didn't have to be at work, though

[Nikki]

re: drops drying out eyes

Hi Joey,

Did Dr. Tseng state how long you were not supposed to use artificial tears? What was the rationale for not using them? If you're not to use artificial tears, he might be able to fed-ex you some of his preservative-free dexamethasone eye drops to use instead -

With dry eyes, I've never been able to tolerate eyedrops with preservatives in them, whether it's benzalkonium chloride (BAC or BAK) or chlorobutanol.

You mentioned that you work at a computer all day - do you use an anti-glare screen? Since I developed dry eyes, I have to use one or else my eyes would hurt like hell.

Scott

[khasler]

My amniotic membrane status

Hi all,
I am in week 9 of my left eye surgery for the transfer surgery and while the burning has gone away, my eye is still pretty red. I have this ring around my eyeball - a perfect circle - that is white closest to my eyeball and then its red all over the rest of my eye. I have my doctor - Dr. Robert Mack in Chicago, working with Dr. Tseng in Miami consulting via email to determine why it's taking so long to recover. Dr. Tseng recommended a shot of something called Kenalog to help. I go back tomorrow so I guess I will see.

I did have some blurry vision the first week or so, but that went away.

I'm so glad, Destiny that you are seeing results! I'm getting a bit frustrated at not seeing any results sooner, so your story gives me some hope.
I've been on the same steroids/antibiotics as everyone else. I was initially using Pred Forte and Ocuflox and then he switched me to Lotemax for the past 4 weeks and stopped using the Ocuflox. After seeing him last week he switched me to Fluorometholone as he felt I needed a stronger steroid and didn't think the Lotemax was doing anything.

Kim

[DESTINY]

Np & Khasler

Np,

My Blepharitis was almost under control right before i had the surgery. He plucked 6 eyelashes and my count went from 7 mites to 1 mite. Now this is what stinks! Since I've had the surgery I haven't been able to do the tea tree scrubs or use the tea tree shampoo! So I think that the 1 mite that was left has definatly laid eggs and now I am probably where I started! So I am going to see Dr. Tseng next week and I am going to start up again on all of the treatment!

Khasler,
Describe the ring that you are talking about. What do you think caused it? I have a similar 1/2 ring inly it is red. Weird. Where did he put the membrane in your eye? Mine was put in the inner corners. I wish I could just buy new eyes!!! I don't like the Ocuflux either. I think it does dry my eyes out! I used an antibiotic called Vigamox for my last surgery and I liked it allot better. It seemed to make my eyes feel alot more wet! You should get the Dexamethosome from Dr. Tseng. That is what I have been using and my eyes feel alot better! My right eye still looks worse than my left. I want Dr. Tseng to fix the redness when I get there. All in all my eyes are better than before. Is he going to give you a shot in the eye? That sounds painful!

Destiny

[np1981]

Hi Destiny, hope your eyes are doing better.

My Blepharitis was almost under control right before i had the surgery. He plucked 6 eyelashes and my count went from 7 mites to 1 mite.

Did you notice a difference in comfort when you mite count went down?

[Joey]

Day 9

Hello everyone,

So today is Day #9 from the surgery. My eye seems to be doing a lot better now. I can actually see the area that Dr. Tseng wrapped with the AM tissue. It looks like raw bacon, lol. It is like a translucent pinkish color. And it scoops my eye from left to right and under my iris. My dryness problem has gotten better. Dr. Tseng emailed me and said I can use a preservative free lub drops. I wonder why he didn't mention that before, oh well. I still have a slight blurryness problem. It is not bad though. I think it is from the inflamation and eye drops. I can say though, if both my eyes were like this, I would have a hard time working on the computer all day. So it looks like I may prolong my other eye for a couple of weeks. (I was supposed to get it done Sept 1).

I dont think I can use an anti glare screen for my computer. I work on a mac, and my monitor is large. Does anyone know if they sell them for large screens? Do they effect you being able to see details and color on your screen? I am a graphic designer, so that could be bad, lol.

I have some pictures that I have taken of my eye from Day 3 and I will take some more tomorrow, Day 10. If anyone wants to see them let me know.

Take care all!
-Joey

[TARYN]

amniotic membrane

I would like to se the photos of your eye.

Thanks,
Taryn

[Joey]

Sure, what's your email address?

[TARYN]

Amniotic membrane

Hi Joey,

My e-mail is taryn5050@yahoo.com

Thanks