A
female
age
30-35,
anonymous
writes:Hi all agony aunts, this isn't a relationship question, but I really need help.I'm really stressed out. :( I'm moving 6 hours away to college this upcoming Saturday. Yesterday, I went to the eye doctor to get some new contacts, and find out I have a detached retina and need to see an Ophthalmologist ASAP. I'm not in any pain, and my vision is about the same as it always was, but I found out I'll have to get a scleral buckle or I'll lose my vision in my right eye. It's basically a zip tie placed around the eye. At first I was all for the surgery, but then when I got home I youtube'd the surgery procedure...Now I've seen lots of surgeries, and it's never bothered me before, but this one was absolutely horrid. They cut into the eye using scissors in 4 different spots, under the muscles in the eye place the buckle, and stitch it to the eye.Even though I know I'll be knocked out, I'm scared to death of getting my eye torn apart by some scissor happy surgeon, but what choice do I have?The surgery is scheduled 2 days before the move...how do I handle all of this?
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female
reader, Sweet-thing  +, writes (19 June 2012):
 If you have a detached retina you would know it; you would have experienced a sense of visual fireworks in the affect eye, and then that eye would be noticably more blury and weird. If there's time you may want to get a 2nd opinion but I think time is of the essence. Just remember physicians that do this type of surgery are trained to do so and they do thousands without a hitch. This is where their training and expertise puts them in a league all their own. Once you get a 2nd opinion I think you will feel better but I would work quickly. If you prolong this surgery too long it could make it impossible to repair the damage. Also you never mentioned having an injury to your eye, retina's don't just spontaneously detach. There is usually some kind of jarring injury or a fall that causes the damage. Good luck. I am certain things will turn out just fine.
A
female
reader, chigirl  +, writes (18 June 2012):
 This is why I didn't go to medical school. I can't stand the sight of bloody messes and surgeries. It creeps me out just looking at it, and it creeps me out just thinking about it.
Good thing then that when you undergo surgery YOU wont see any of this mess, you'll be sedated and drugged down so you don't feel any pain, and when it's over you'll have your eyesight, as opposed to going blind and then possibly also experiencing pain.
Watching youtube vidoes was a bad idea. Why bother? You're not the one who's performing the surgery, you don't need to know or see what happens, and if it grosses you out you certainly don't need to see it. It's like child birth. You don't need to see vidoes about what goes on during labour in order to give birth. Most likely you'll just get freaked out by watching such videos and then promise yourself to never have sex again...
My point is: go have the surgery. Ignore what you saw on youtube, and never google surgeries (or child labour) again.
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A
female
reader, So_Very_Confused +, writes (18 June 2012):
 you could go blind. that's your choice.
if you are not the first or tenth time the doc has done this then the doctor is experienced and I'm sure you will be fine..
tell the doctor you are very nervous and ask if you can have a sedative to help calm you down before the surgery
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A
male
reader, no nonsense Aidan +, writes (18 June 2012):
The description of any procedure can be pretty gruesome. The thing you need to remember is that you will not be placed in the hands of some-one who’s “scissor happy,” but some-one who is trained and experienced. Of course the prospect of an operation is a frightening one, and you shouldn’t bottle your fears up but share them with people around you. There’s no magic formula to take away the fear, but you just need to keep in mind the risks to not having the surgery as a detached retina is a serious problem that needs to be fixed promptly. Remember that you won’t feel a thing. When you do wake up you will, of course, feel some discomfort, but you’ll receive all the advice you’ll need if you need to take any eye drops or medicines, and about how you can best look after your eye. You must make sure that you ask any questions to your surgeon or the nurses: no question is too silly or too small. Feeling in greater control will help calm you a lot. Remember that, whilst this may be terrifying for you, it’s all in a routine day’s work for an eye surgeon. That means they’re confident, experienced and well able to handle the operation. Trust in the safety of the hands in to which you’ve unfortunately got to put yourself. Try not to view any more youtube videos now: you know what will happen, there’s nothing to be gained from watching something that’ll raise your anxiety.
I wish you all the very best.
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A
reader, anonymous, writes (18 June 2012): You're young yet so you'll heal fast, there's not much anyone can tell you except.. maybe not to go on youtube seeing how it's done... is what probably shook you up. If I was going for surgery I would be scared also. Try and think about you wont know anything anyway.
Once you get to the hospital they will knock you out and it will be all over... People have eye surgery all the time. My aunt went in about a month ago to have cataracts remove from her eyes, one at a time and she came home the same day so maybe you shouldn't be looking at this on youtube. Say a pray.
Many Blessings
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