A needle to the eye, not as bad as it sounds!
Following up on my last post about my eyesight suddenly deteriorating from the previous Sunday evening to Monday morning. I visited Vitreo-Retinal Consultants, where I saw Dr. Nesmith on Monday afternoon to get the injection in my right eye, which I was dreading because it’s a freaking needle in the eye.
I have to say that my overall experience with Vitreo Retinal was excellent. They understand that you are going to be freaked out by the prospect of a needle in your eye, and do their best to put you at ease.
Given that I could not drive, being able to see clearly is kinda important when driving. My wife came with me, and I’m really happy that she did, from driving to filling out paperwork, which is normal when visiting a doctor’s office for the first time. Basically, I was 100% reliant on her, which my wife will tell you is not an easy experience for her, the carer, I’ve always been the carer, from taking care of my disabled mother to my Fibromyalgia suffering wife, not the recipient of care, and I find it really hard being reliant on others.
After the check-in procedure, we went downstairs and waited a short time, before being taken back to have some photos of my eyes taken, then back to the waiting room, before being taken to another room, for an eye test, where Dr. Nesmith talked to me, to explain what the procedure entails.
This is when things got real trippy like I had taken some magic mushrooms or acid, or at least what I imagine what taking magic mushrooms or acid feels like. I was taken to another room and had a fluorescent liquid injected into my arm, to be able to take more photos of my eyes, which had the interesting effect of making my vision RGB after the photos were taken. which lasted for a few minutes. Something to note, I had to sign a waiver, because of the side effects, which included a small risk of death, which is more of an end destination than a side effect, but I signed my life away anyway.
Then it was off to the final room, for the injection, and it was actually painless. the doctor anesthetized my eye first, then waited about 10 minutes for it to kick in, giving me time to contemplate the upcoming needle in my eye. My wife, who had followed me around the building asked me if I was OK, to which I replied, I’m fine. To which she responded, you have that look you have, when you say you’re OK, but you are not, of course, she was right, it’s a freaking needle in the eye, I guess my wife, Erin knows me well!
The time came, the needle in my eye was imminent, and it was painless, so much so, that I thought they had not done anything. The doctor assured me it was done, and that I was free to check out, and set a follow-up appointment. for my second injection to complete the treatment. Suffice to say that knowing what it’s like to get an injection in my eye, I am much less nervous about a second needle to my eye.
Leaving the building, I was appreciative that my wife accompanied me to the doctor’s office, as I could not see anything but extremely bright light, because of my eyes being dilated, the daylight was blinding, me driving was definitely ill-advised as I could see nothing, even with my transitions glasses at their darkest.
Since the big day, my vision has been all over the place, the day after, I struggled to work, with my vision fluctuating, from not being able to see anything on my monitor to barely being able to read the massively magnified 34in screen. In addition, my eye was hurting, and it felt like something was in my eye. But today, Thursday, my vision is back to where it was before the visit to Vitreo Retinal. Now I hope that my vision will continue to improve, Dr. Nesmith said it may take days to see improvement, or it might take weeks, I hope that it’s the former, so I can get back to normality, I have things to get done.
In the meantime, my wife had fallen ill herself, she went to the emergency room after her primary care doctor dismissed her symptoms, telling her to take a breathing treatment and Mucinex. The Emergency Room doctor thinks that Erin might have contracted COVID-19, for which she is waiting on a test result.
I might not show it, but I am extremely appreciative of my wife, for all her help during this extremely tough time for me, even more so when she is ill herself. Thank you, Erin, for putting up with me, even if I know you’re silently happy I have to rely on you, instead of the other way around, which is often the case.