June 8, 2007

• Eye News

  On May 25th I first mentioned this problem. At this point I was hoping to post good news, but it is not to be for now.  On Wednesday I went to the Retina Specialist to see if we could figure out what is happening to my right eye.  For several months I noticed that my right eye saw things differently than my left.  Things were smaller and out of focus.  Then a couple of weeks ago I noticed that the lines on our blinds pinched in at the center of my right eye’s vision.  Not long after, I saw an article that showed  picture of how someone with macular degeneration sees things.  It was what I was seeing.

  The opthamologist couldn’t figure it out so I was referred to a retinologist to get some incredible pictures of my retinas.  This we did on Wednesday.  That afternoon I got a call from them.  The caller’s first words were, “I’m sorry.  I have some really bad news.”  Oh, my gosh, my heart literally stopped.  My mind was racing. Was I going to be blind!? Then he continued, “The pictures we took this morning didn’t develop right and we have to do it again tomorrow.”  That is definitely not BAD news.  That is an inconvenience!!  When I met the technician, I commented that whoever called me had a diabolical sense of humor. He looked shocked.  “I called you,” he said.  I really had to laugh.

  So yesterday morning we worked our way through Austin traffic and arrived around 8:30 for round two. They dilated my eyes, and we waited in a darkened waiting room for half an hour. Then we went into a dimly lit examining room to get the pictures of my eye’s retina. In spite of his unintentional humor the day before, the technician was very kind and gentle. Nick stayed with me this time, and perhaps that is why it seemed to be easier. Maybe the fact that is was a newer digital system helped too. I was shot up with yellow dye to define the blood vessels and see what was happening behind the retina.

  Later the doctor explained the results to us. I have a disorder called Bilateral Parafoveal Telangiectasia. It is very rare, and I could find only a little about it on the internet. It is a clump of twisted dilated blood vessels under the retina. The problem is when they leak and form a bubble that distorts vision. There is no reliable medical treatment. It may progress, stay the same or go away. Surprisingly, I have it in both eyes. In the left eye, it is contained, but it has grown and “leaked” in the right eye.

  For some reason, the words: unknown, mysterious, rare, no treatment; had a claming effect on me. If there were treatments available, I’d feel the need to try. Knowing that it is on God alone that I trust in very comforting. Of course I’d be trusting God even if there were medical things to do, but somehow having it totally in His hands feels so much more reliable and trustworthy.

  Please be praying. I know that long-term prayers become forgotten, but I really do want healing. I want to be able to see. I want to know the faces of my children as they grow older and of my grandchildren as they grow up. I want to be able to continue teaching. I need to see well to do a good job. I am a very visual person. The prospect of losing the ability to see details is very sad indeed.

  Thanks to all of you who offered support when I first noticed there was a problem. It really does help to feel others care. 

  • 12:46 pm
  • 6 Comments