Comments on: Neovascularization Causes Blindness

By: Randall V. Wong, M.D.

Randall V. Wong, M.D. — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:59:24 +0000

Dear Beth,

As long as the right eye remains healthy, the neovascular glaucoma won’t develop. The neovascular glaucoma developed as a result of the vascular occlusion. Assuming you can remedy the clotting disorder, you probably won’t occlude in the right eye.

Randy

By: Beth

Beth — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:16:32 +0000

I am a 31 year old female who recently was diagnosed with neovascular glaucoma. I have lost all vision in my left eye and recently underwent an Ahmed tube shunt surgery to hopefully relieve my IOP and horrible headache. Before that procedure, I underwent panretinal photocoagulation to “zap the vessels”. My greatest fear is that this condition will affect my good (right) eye. Is there a great chance that this will develop in my other eye? This all started when I was originally diagnosed many months back with a retinal vein occlusion. Through testing it was determined that I have a genetic condition which makes me highly susceptible to blood clots, which is was caused my retinal occlusion according to the doctors.
Any information you can provide is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.

By: Randall V. Wong, M.D.

Randall V. Wong, M.D. — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:02:11 +0000

Dear Dan,

I am not aware that AO ever caused retinal detachment. Given your diagnosis (I am sorry to hear this), I’d be more concerned that any of the blood problems might be secondarily affecting the retina.

By: Dan Kachermeyer

Dan Kachermeyer — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 01:25:18 +0000

I was in Vietnam 1971-1972.Jan 11,2011 the retina in my left eye detached.In June I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma,non hodgkins lymphoma, and stage 2 leukemia. I am now having problems with my right eye.Could the retina detachment be caused by my exposure to agent orange?

By: Randall V. Wong, M.D.

Randall V. Wong, M.D. — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 11:56:35 +0000

Dear Albert,

I am not aware of any association of eye disease with Agent Orange.

Your biggest risk factors for your problems are the DM and the associated CAD I would think. If, by stroke, you mean ischemic optic neuropathy, please keep in mind that this happens in healthy situations, too.

Randy

By: Albert T.

Albert T. — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:37:08 +0000

Do you know of any links between Agent Orange and blindness. I had a stroke in my right optic nerve in 2002 and since then I have lost most of my vision in my left eye. The doctors say that there are no signs of diabetes causing the blindness. I was exposed to Agent Orange from 1966 to 1968 in Viet Nam. I have insulin depentent DM II, and have been treated for CAD and had four stents inserted. I would like to know why I am going blnd. Please help or guide me to someone who can. Thank you.

By: Randall V. Wong, M.D.

Randall V. Wong, M.D. — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 02:40:18 +0000

Dear Alison,

In medicine we have a saying..”if you here hoofbeats….don’t think of zebras.”

Having said that, I think you should make sure that your father-in-laws loss of vision and pain is not related to advanced diabetic retinopathy. It is quite likely that your FIL is suffering from neovascular complications of diabetic retinopathy.

To be most efficient, I’d have him examined by a retina specialist.

Best of luck,

Randy

By: Alison McAllister

Alison McAllister — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 16:47:42 +0000

Dr. Wong I know research is always discovering new things. I saw a news piece that discussed reversing blindness. I wasn’t sure how diabetics were affected. My father-in-law is an insulin dependent diabetic. He was a carpenter and initially when he started losing his sight he had surgery. It became worse. Two days he lost all his vision. He indicates it hurts. What should we do? Our resources are limited what should we ask our where should we take him? We live in Jacksonville NC. Thank you for your article.

By: Randall V. Wong, M.D.

Randall V. Wong, M.D. — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 16:40:08 +0000

Dear Darlene,

The old treatment used to be laser treatment to the retina. It didn’t work real well. Presently, I recommend, to my patients, either steroids or Avastin. While the treatments are “new,” they have been in use for several years. In many areas, use of Avastin is standard of care so I wouldn’t necessarily view Avastin as experimental.

Best of luck. Let us know how you do!

Randy

By: Darlene

Darlene — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 15:40:26 +0000

I have JFT in my right eye. Sight has steadily gone downhill over the last year. Now my left eye has minimal leakage. My dr has suggested a course of avastin injections for the right eye and has said that its time to do them or I will loose my sight very soon. From what I hear, this is a relatively new treatment. Im wondering what your opinion is concerning these injections for JFT.. Thanks!