Initial Diagnosis (it wasn’t CRVO)

 CRVO

Central Retinal Vein Occlusion

I had no idea what it was but I know now!


It all started back in August 21, a Thursday evening when I experienced a strange aberration in my right eye - it only lasted a few minutes, it was as if my eye suddenly became pixelated.

About half an hour later it happened again, the same pixelation but this time it lasted a lot longer. It was enough for me to become worried so I tried to phone the NHS 111 only to find they were so busy. I went on-line again 111 and was advised to contact my nearest eye clinic, in Brighton. I quickly got through and was advised to contact my optician the following day.

Well, I contacted every local optician but they were all fully booked so I decided to visit my nearest NHS A&E at the East Surrey Hospital, Redhill. Little did I know at the time that this was a big mistake.

After a short wait I was examined, had several tests and asked to wait for an Ophthalmology Consultant to assess my diagnosis. On reflection I should have insisted that I saw the consultant there and then but I was asked to go home and wait for a call which eventually came the next day.

After studying my notes the consultant asked me to attend a TIA clinic the following Tuesday. well this scarred the life out of me, I was 65 years old and the thought of having a mini stroke was terrifying.

Still, I attended the clinic at the East Surrey Hospital and after Heart & blood tests, CT scan, Doppler scan and was diagnosed as having a TIA (Trans Ischaemic Attack). I had an immediate driving ban for 28 days and put on blood thinning tablets and Statins to reduce Cholesterol.

It was all a bit of a shock but at least my eye seemed OK (Little did I know).

About three weeks later I was working and noticed that the sight in my right eye wasn't quite right, there seemed to be some blurring in the centre of my vision. I was worried so decided to visit the nearest A&E, this time at the Royal Surrey in Guildford. I was seen quite quickly and had a basic eye test. Shortly after I was sent to the eye clinic at the hospital where I had another eye test, and eye pressure test and my pupil was diluted. I then had an OCT scan (optical coherence tomography scan) which takes images of the retina and the fluid build up behind the Retina.

I saw an Ophthalmology Consultant who carried out a thorough examination of my eye and I was diagnosed as having a CRVO basically some bleeds on the surface of my retina which had led to permanent scarring, permanent poor vision! 


Added to the scarring there was a large build up of fluid behind the retina, the OCT scan showed this very clearly.

I'll follow this up shortly - You won't believe what I found out!







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