Posts by Nicholas Ortiz48

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gaFgUGhihrCiCTTg9

Look, I’m probably going to sound like a total amateur here, but I honestly have no clue if there’s a better way to upload images directly to this thread, so if anyone actually knows the trick, feel free to point me in the right direction... For now, I’ll just try getting around it by sharing the album link above, so hopefully you guys can actually get it to open without too much trouble...
Best,

Hey there! So, my checkup went pretty smoothly; I had an OCT done and everything looks clean now. There’s still just that bit of pigment clumping left, but the doctor says it’s just a leftover from everything that went down and there's nothing to worry about. I've got my next follow-up in two months. I’m going to try and upload the old photos soon... It actually looks like the macular shape has returned completely to normal. Even back on that January 19th scan—the one where things finally started looking "green"—there was still this tiny bit of displacement, but now it looks exactly how it should. We'll see if it stays that way, though I'm really hoping it does. My vision still feels a little watery, and honestly, I'm not even sure if that's ever going to clear up, but let's hope it's just passing 👍
Do you not need to run those FAG tests? Let me know how things progress with you, crimsonhound27. Good luck!!!

Hey crimsonhound27!
I’ve been meaning to get back to you for ages, but honestly, I just wasn't in the right headspace to even think about anything regarding CSR... After it happened, I had this weird sensation where everything looked diminished, almost like I was diving underwater. I couldn't really explain it to anyone—my sharpness was fine, nothing was blurry, but it just felt like I was submerged. My doctor told me it should pass with time, and I think the issue with objects looking smaller gradually improved over about 3 or 4 months once things settled down, but I’m still stuck with about 5% of that "underwater" effect; there’s no easy way to shake it. That said, my OCT scan two months later came back green, but there was still this tiny bit of retinal detachment visible. You know how on an OCT it looks like a U-shape? Well, on the bottom right side—not dead center, but slightly off to the right—there was a tiny, tiny little bit still detached, even though the OCT shows green and the thickness is totally fine. Mind you, the report also noted some heavier pigment clumps and tiny drusen at that spot. Throughout the whole time when the issue was peak, my visual acuity was 100%; the only thing was this weird colored ring blinking in front of my eyes. The most interesting part was that during that phase, I could actually watch TV without glasses. I usually wear them for distance, but while the detachment was active, I could read the text on the screen with my right eye perfectly fine... There is still a slight color difference when I look through my right eye compared to my left, and if I look at a cup with my right eye and then shift to the left, I notice these shadows for the first few seconds. Also, when I read tiny print, it looks kind of greasy, like it was printed on oily paper, even though I can see the tiniest letters clearly with both eyes. For example, if I take a photo of this screen and try to read it in my gallery without opening the image—meaning when it's shrunk down in the thumbnail view—I can read it easily... I know it sounds silly, but that's kind of my benchmark...
Then, three months after my last checkup, I went back for another follow-up and it turned out the detachment had actually grown a bit more, even though the OCT is still showing green, so they put me back on eye drop therapy.
I went in for a FAG last week; I scheduled it at the local clinic because the wait times are way shorter than elsewhere, and man, I was terrified. While I was waiting for the results, the doctor called me in to do some other kind of angiogram imaging. I was absolutely freaking out—which, fair enough—and then they called me back in to take another shot and nobody would say a word to me... Anyway, the initial diagnosis was confirmed: CSR in my right eye, and it's still leaking. I guess they weren't quite sure what was going on... Minimal detachment, still leaking, but the OCT says green... On the 28th, I'm heading to see my ophthalmologist with these results (my regular doctor moved to another city in the meantime), and I have no clue what the difference is between seeing her and going to a laser clinic... I'll see what she says.
I've also started getting those damn floaters. I see all these transparent little circles when I look up at the sky; they drift around and stretch out like egg whites. When I mentioned them to the doctor (I've brought up a few of them already), he barely even listens to me before just saying I have to get used to it, that everyone gets them when this happens... But it drives me crazy because I can spot them on the wall, the floor, the countertop... If I move my eyes left to right, it just looks like a faint grayish shadow, barely noticeable, but when I look out at the sky, I can sort of focus on that shadow and then make out those clear little circles. It's so overwhelming and frustrating and scary that I find myself constantly staring at them, just struggling with it.
Anyway, sorry for the massive wall of text, but that’s basically my whole situation laid out... I really hope you aren't dealing with any lingering detachment or leakage, and I hope you have the patience to just wait it out until everything looks normal again. It’ll settle eventually. Did your doctor see any lasting traces on your scans?
Good luck! 👍

rustybear27 said:Ole,.. I actually underwent MPLT-MicroPulse laser therapy—the so-called "cold laser" as my doc calls it (though whether that's Iridex or not, I haven't a clue). The idea is that it supposedly revitalizes cells without destroying tissue, but it doesn't actually stop the leaking/leakage from the vein—tried and tested on me. It improves the situation, but it doesn't seal the vessel. My doctor is a great guy, but in many other instances, life experience has taught me that you eventually have to become your own doctor.😁. Just get an FAG done, then you'll know for 100% certain if there's a leak in the vein or not. They were focusing entirely on my eye issues, but they did a quick 10-second scan of everything else too—that’s how we caught the other issue early on, something that didn't even show up on the OCT.
Thnx for the Astaxanthin.
The oil definitely works—I can see improvements. 🙂
I've had injections before, too, but they didn't stop the leakage.

Btw, don't use Bacopa monnieri or Brahmi Gotu Kola if you're pregnant or planning to be; I read somewhere that it should be avoided during that time.

Ugh, that planning sounds amazing. Nature, streams, forests... our true habitat. You can tell my hunter-gatherer genes are kicking in immediately. haha

Hey there, rustybear27!
Keep me posted on how things are going 😀 I'm really glad to hear you're noticing some progress.
So, I picked up some Spirulina today... and man, I totally blew it by getting the powder version. It was awful! I almost gagged. I still feel a bit nauseous just thinking about the taste. I tried plugging my nose and chugging it, but it just wouldn't work... I'm going to have to figure out a better way to take this 😨 For the next few months, I've decided to focus on vitamins and antioxidants specifically for eye health. Just trying to give my eyes a chance to recover.
I have one more question for you 😀 I'm a little confused about that FAG thing. Say, for instance, if the vein isn't actually leaking, why would this happen in the first place? I get it if there's a leak, but if it's possible for the vein to be sealed and I still developed CSR, where did that Edem come from? Do you have any idea? Is it possible for it to leak once, create Edem, and then stop leaking? I'm struggling to find the right way to ask this ☺
Have you started planning that nature getaway yet? I remember mentioning it to you last time. We were out at Kalnik for training 😂 and we're looking at a shorter trek toward the end of the month. Honestly, being out in nature this spring has been pure bliss. It's my medicine and my therapy 😉 Next month, we're planning to spend two or three nights in the Alps, maybe combine a few short hikes that are doable with the baby in a carrier. My husband is all in 😂
Take care, and hoping for good news

[QUOTE=rustybear27;68710131]Hey, just got back from my checkup. After three months on the oil, the swelling in one eye finally went down, but now two tiny new spots popped up in the other one🤔, and honestly, even my doctor couldn't wrap his head around why. I'm sticking with the oil for now. I see a private specialist—I wouldn't dream of dealing with the public healthcare system anyway—and they told me you shouldn't have FAG done too often, maybe twice a year at most... better not wait until October.
Antioxidants definitely help; I take a borovnica Sorial tincture, and every morning on an empty stomach, I eat half a raw carrot. I also use eye vitamins like Dietpharm Makulin plus or Nutrof total (my doctor’s suggestion), plus some Kernnela Spirulina, which is packed with zeaxanthin, apparently great for vision.

I'm trying meditation too, at least once a day focusing strictly on breathing. At least, that's what I read online... just thinking about the present, not tomorrow or yesterday, just today, being in the moment...
For calming the mind, they say lemon balm tea is good, and I take Himalay Bacop (once a month, then a 2-4 week break, then back to it)... look it up online.

Stay positive & relax.. you'll get better👍[/QUOTE

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, I asked about the floaters and those little specks. My doctor says she can't really see them because they're probably too small, but that's the deal—those annoying little flies drifting around... She said she sees them too, though... I guess I'll just have to learn how to ignore them. Honestly, if this whole thing hadn't happened to me, I probably wouldn't even give them a second thought, but whatever, the main thing is that it's real and it isn't dangerous. I feel a bit more at ease knowing that, because if there were anything actually worrying, she would have spotted it during the exam, on the OCT... And man, she was really going at it with that magnifying glass and the light, moving it everywhere—up, down, deep in there, top left, top right... And that lightooooooo, jeez... Anyway, catch ya later! 😁[/QUOTE]

rustybear27 said:Hey, just got back from my checkup. After three months of using the oil, things have finally improved in one eye—it's actually shrinking. But, of course, two tiny new ones popped up in the other. Typical.🤔Honestly, even my doctor can't wrap his head around why this is happening. I’m just going to stick with the oil for now. I've been seeing a private specialist—I wouldn't dream of dealing with the state doctors anyway—and they told me you can't have FAG done too often, maybe twice a year at most. Better not wait until October.
If you're asking if antioxidants actually work—yeah, they do. I take a borovnica Sorial extract tincture every morning on an empty stomach, followed by half a raw carrot. I also stay on top of eye vitamins like Dietpharm Makulin plus or Nutrof total (my doctor’s recommendation), plus some Kernnela Spirulina, which is loaded with zeaxanthin—supposedly great stuff for your vision.

Yeah, I’m trying to get into meditation too. At least once a day, I try to just focus on my breathing—that's what I read online, anyway. Just thinking about the present. Not tomorrow, not yesterday, just right now. Just enjoying the moment.
People say lemon balm tea is great for cooling down your brain. I’ve been using Himalay Bacop myself—take it once a month, then take a 2 to 4-week break before starting again. Look it up on Google.

Stay positive and just relax... you'll heal.👍

Thanks for the advice; I might give some of those suggestions a shot. I pretty much eat raw carrots almost every day myself. I actually had my checkup today, too. During the exam, the doctor didn't see anything alarming, though she could tell something happened—it left a mark on the RPE. On the OCT, it still shows what she described as minimal RPE ablation right where the Edem first started when I was having issues... She mentioned that if that happens to be a leak site, the laser can't be used on that specific spot. If it becomes necessary, she brought up the possibility of injections... I have no idea, but I really hope it doesn't come to that because the thought of an injection in the eye sounds terrifying... 😲 She even hinted that there might be no point in doing FAG now since it's passed, but okay, since I'm already scheduled. Still, I decided to go to my primary care doctor to see if they can get me in earlier just so I can have some peace of mind. It’s really bugging me that this little section stayed the way it is... It was visible on the last OCT too, but the doctor wasn't worried... I feel like I need to double-check because I'm the type of person who worries about these things... 😁
Here's another suggestion for you: I stumbled upon some info about Astaxanthin, which is supposedly amazing for improving visual acuity. It's found in high amounts in krill, and there are supplement capsules available. They aren't exactly cheap, but hey, why not give it another try? 😁
I found this on some website—honestly, I can't remember if it was an American or international site because I can't find where I dug it up anymore😵—but it was mostly info regarding CSR treatment. It mentioned the Iridex laser, or so-called "yellow laser," which treats the central area without causing thermal burns or scarring. Instead, it just stimulates the retina's natural self-healing processes so the pigment epithelium heals faster, closing up the holes where fluid leaks through, and so on. rustybear27, I really hope the oil works for you and that you won't even need this info... You seem so calm, positive, and patient, truly. I really believe these are just the final twitches of CSR for you and that next time everything will be much better, maybe even excellent.👍
Man, I find myself daydreaming all the time about just being able to spend a day, two, three—who even knows how long it takes—just sitting in front of the TV in total peace with nothing but my own thoughts. Sometimes you really just need that kind of headspace, but when there's a baby in the mix, that's basically out of the question unless we hit the jackpot. I'd love to just pack up our bags and head out on a trip, soaking in different landscapes and completely clearing my mind by changing my scenery, but yeah, those are just pipe dreams 😁 once spring finally hits, though, we're planning to go on some hiking trips, which should help me feel a bit more like myself; we used to get out on the trails way more often back in the day.
I'm going to hop on Google and look into those tips of yours. Anyway, good luck 😉

Hey there! Thanks for getting back to me, rustybear27. I’m stuck at home with the baby right now, so the days are just absolutely blurring together 😉
Yeah, I’ve definitely read up on those personality types, and I am a textbook Type A through and through. The worst part is that I can't just flip a switch and change it... I can try telling myself, "Okay, let's take it easy, don't get worked up, stay chill, everything's fine," but it just doesn't work. It's not like I can just decide to be different when that underlying tension is already baked into who I am. My doctor suggested I look into some yoga breathing exercises and carve out a few minutes every day for them, especially when I feel the stress starting to pile up. I'm also trying to load up on antioxidants through my diet as much as possible.
I'm actually thinking about checking in with my doctor to see if I can jump the line for FAG somewhere, because my current appointment isn't until November.
There's one thing I'm still a bit fuzzy on... After my last checkup with the OCT, the results were perfect—everything was green lights and the macular contours looked totally normal. But even then, I was still dealing with some lingering minor issues... Like, if I squint my eyes—you know, close the left one and strain with the right—there's this faint circle with these tiny little shadows inside it. And in the dark—well, not pitch black, just dim enough where you aren't seeing nothing—there's this shadow in front of my right eye (night driving is fine since the headlights are bright enough to drown it out, so I can see okay). There are other little things too; in the shade or dim light when I'm trying to read small print, like on some product packaging, if I test it with my right eye, the center of my focus is sharp, but the edges look like the letters were printed on greasy paper... Are these tiny glitches just permanent leftovers?
Whenever I go in for a checkup, I have a million questions and uncertainties, but it feels like they're always in such a rush to get through me. It's like they don't quite grasp that a person actually wants to understand what's going on with their own health...
Oh, also, I was wondering if anyone else has noticed any periodic shifts in their vision? I mentioned having this slightly watery visual effect, and I've noticed it hits harder during ovulation or when I get migraines. Then the next day, everything is back to normal and looks better, and just when I start freaking out that it's coming back, it suddenly clears up in a single day...

Chloe Morgan13 said:Yes, I’ve accepted that it’s here to stay.
The edge of the Edem looks fine now, but the center feels bright—almost translucent. There’s just this one little spot that's shrinking, which will probably vanish once the Edem fully recedes. Still, that outer ring will likely remain... :/
As for the distorted vision, I've adjusted to it, though it really bugs me that objects look smaller than they should. I'm worried that part won't change either.
My only real concern right now is night vision. It’s been tough... the less light there is, the less I can see out of that eye. I really hope that improves or at least gets significantly better because driving at night is becoming a real struggle. It’s even impractical just moving around the house late at night when the lights are off.😢

Hey everyone, did your objects stay small or did that fix itself over time? I dealt with the exact same thing, even after the Edem cleared up and my OCT looked totally fine. About five weeks have passed since then, and things are slowly snapping back into place; now, the objects I focus on look almost the same size as what I see with my left eye.

Hey everyone. Well, here I am, unfortunately joining the ranks of you guys... I'm 36, and back on December 12th last year, I got diagnosed with CSCR. It happened one night while I was watching TV; I shifted my gaze and everything just looked... watery. The next morning, it hadn't cleared up, and I actually had this dark spot appearing in front of my right eye, almost like I’d been staring directly into a bright light, and the whole scene felt like I was floating underwater. Since things didn't improve after the following night, I ended up hitting the emergency room, totally freaked out. When I closed my eyes, I saw this perfect glowing circle, and when looking through my right eye, that circle looked mustard-colored or gray depending on how dim the lighting was. At first, the doctor was a bit puzzled because my visual acuity was still at 100%, but as soon as he did a full exam, he suspected the diagnosis immediately, which was later confirmed by an OCT. Stress seems to be the culprit in my case. I was prescribed Trusopt drops and Yellox, and they scheduled a follow-up for two weeks later. My vision is still technically 100%, and even though the OCT scan looked worse than the previous one, the doctor wasn't worried—he mentioned that patients usually show up once the situation is already established. I caught it while the Edem was still developing. Even though my vision was technically perfect according to the tests, I couldn't read things like fine print on a brown background (like a shower gel bottle), or tiny letters when the lighting was low. Anyway, I went back for a checkup three weeks later and the OCT results were completely normal (all green 🙂). My vision still felt a little weird, sort of watery, but the doctor said it probably just needs more time to fully recover. I can say it's getting better; the "watery" sensation is just slight now, varying from day to day for reasons I don't quite get. When I have a migraine, the vision definitely gets weirder... That circle I saw before is gone, though I can see faint remnants of it like shadows if I squint—you know, closing the left eye and squinting with the right. Also, in bright light, I see what I call "colliding atoms" with my right eye. Just a bunch of tiny, tiny little specks or glowing dots that aren't still, they jump around like little bugs, but in my head, I imagine them as colliding atoms 😁 :-(
I have another follow-up scheduled for next month.
Now, these little dots and "worms" I see in bright light are driving me crazy. Before, I saw one "worm" and a dot that were transparent and just drifted across the sky constantly when looking through my left eye, but now I'm seeing tiny gray dots too. I think it's one per eye; they pop in and out and seem to travel when I notice them. Now, both those gray ones and the transparent ones I used to only see against the sky, I can see on the TV screen or any surface if the light is bright enough. When those gray ones appear, I panic—my palms sweat, my heart races, and I just spiral into depression. I'm constantly terrified that the CSCR will come back because of this, but I can't help it. Does this happen to anyone else? Are these just floaters?
It’s somewhat comforting to share these struggles, specifically regarding CSCR, with people who are actually dealing with the same thing. It helps to exchange experiences and know you aren't alone... Sorry for the long post, I could go on about this forever ☕ But anyway, if anyone wants to know more about my experience or if you want to share yours—especially if anything I wrote sounds familiar—please do 😉
I honestly don't know how to relax. I'm not much of a "go with the flow" kind of person, so stress is pretty much my constant companion... How did you all change your lifestyle? What did you adjust? Any advice..?
Best!