BlazingPedals

Torn retina due to vitreal separation. It happened to me Tuesday. Somebody suddenly scribbled across my right eye with nice black ink. It faded over the next 10-15 minutes, but left me looking through a haze in that eye. I was already scheduled for an eye exam yesterday (Wednesday) but I called first thing in the morning to see if they wanted me to come in early to run some other gauntlet. They did. I had a U-shaped tear off to the side, which they cauterized with a laser. I was a good patient and didn't even blink while the doc was zapping me. The regular exam will be rescheduled someday.

It'll have to be monitored regularly for a while, but I"m cleared for any normal activities. This wasn't caused by anything in particular, it's just a consequence of getting old.

ColonelSanders

Did someone stick a pen tip into your eye?

themp

Had the same thing happen in both eyes one month apart. I saw lighting bolts on the edges of my vision. Only got a tear in the left eye that was fixed with a laser. Floaters in both eyes from the vitreal separation that still hang around. Doctor told me that it takes 45 days for the separation to be complete and that you might see flashes in the dark during that time(I did). He said if you see more flashes in the daylight, come in for a check up. Because of the tear he said to take it easy for a month(lifting and heavy exercise).

donheff

A few years back I started seeing little flashes of light in the corners of my eyes when I turned my head. I happened to be on a bike tour with an eye doctor and mentioned it to him. He told me that slight slight separation caused the flashes and is common as we age. He said it was usually benign but if it got severe I should go in for an evaluation. The flashes stopped but if they return and get bad I will visit the doc.

Gerryattrick

I had to have both retinas reattached by laser surgery, a month apart, five years ago. The surgeon also said it was a result of the ageing process rather than a specific trauma.

Everything was fine until a year ago when I started to get distorted vision in my left eye. The eye consultant told me that I have an epiretinal membrane/macular pucker, probably as a consequence of the earlier surgery. He said he wouldn't recommend surgery at this stage as there are risks attached and my right eye is good and compensating for the problems in the left. If the same thing happens to the right, as is possible, I will have to have surgery to remove the membrane.

One thing the doc did say was that it is important to wear proper wraparound cycling glasses to protect the eyes from wind when riding. Your eyesight is precious, take care of it.

As the op says these are age related problems. Growing old isn't for wimps.

JanMM

I experienced a few similar flashes when outdoors at night a couple of years ago. By the time I found out what it probably was, the flashes had long since ceased.

tyrion

The "50+" subforum is depressing me. I vote to get rid of it.

Carbonfiberboy 

Really! What it is with everyone coming here to complain? First rule of aging: shuddupaboudit. AMD here, seems stable.

Now get out there and ride! Then tell us how great it was.

JanMM

Cue for someone 50+ to start a new thread: Depression is a Downer.

Biker395 

I've actually read some of the thread titles to my SO ... gallows humor.

Look at the bright side. If this all was happening to us in the 1960s, we'd be screwed. No laser surgery. No knee/hip replacements. No stents. The docs would be telling us to suck it up and use the other eye.

1989Pre 

We don't need to get rid of it, but what we do need is a "Med Tent" subforum,
like they have over at active.com.

tyrion

That's true. And if it were the 50's the doctors would be telling us to switch to filtered cigarettes.

Retro Grouch 

On the other hand, it makes me feel fortunate to hear about problems that I don't have.

Back in the olden days the Deege would post photos of pretty girls he saw while out riding his bike. 50+ may have drifted off topic back then but it was never depressing. I think that might be why the fun police made him stop.

qcpmsame 

@BlazingPedals not going to complain about the 50+ Forum's tone, I just hope that the retina helps up completely and your vision returns to 100%. You did the right thing seeing the eye folks quickly, smart move on your part.

Bill

55murray

Yep, and if you drank too much wine or whisky you were supposed to switch to the clear stuff.

ctpres

Have not had that eye problem yet - but your right - getting old poses new problems.
For me: Lips not as limber as they used to be. Can't eat cookies without dropping crumbs and side of my coffee cup shows dribbles. Gait has changed and can't walk without feet catching edge of throw rugs and flipping them up. Hearing and eyesight in general makes everyday life more difficult. Getting up to pee at night more than once. Tried to do a chinup the other day - could not even just hang from bar with full body weight for more than a couple seconds - weak hand muscles. Used to have one doctor - now have five or six. But you know what I am happy. Pretty much do what I want when I want and really do not have much of anything to worry about, other than weather that keeps me from riding - snowed in Houston this morning. I am ok with reading here about problems others are having and results. Helps me understand what is happening to me, what to expect and what to do when it does happen. This is the ONLY place I can openly discuss my old age problems and learn from others. Don't stop! Sorry to hear some of you having serious vision problems. I can't imagine life without vision.

Biker395 

lol ... even better ... TRUE brand filtered cigarettes. You remember those? With the "Micronite" filter that contained ...

ASBESTOS ?!?

Omg, if it weren't so tragic, it would be funny.

B. Carfree

Certainly, but the alternative doesn't look terribly inviting for us wimps either.

I guess I'll just go ride and hope for the best. Ah heck, going for a ride is the best.

Gerryattrick

I look at all this as very positive rather than complaining. Old age does bring physical problems, and cycling doesn't make you immune from them, but the people who are realists about their ailments in this forum are still making the most of it and getting on their bikes.

At 70 I have some age related problems, and post-injury pains, but nothing to stop me riding my bike, which is far more than most of the population does, sitting on their increasingly fat a*ses watching TV, so I have nothing to moan about. But I am happy to share the experiences and issues I have with people in a similar position to show them that there still can be a great cycling life as you age.

For example, I am having a spinal discectomy/fusion in the spring, but some weeks ago I went on a group ride of 50 very hilly miles around the Gower coast in Wales, where I was the oldest but by no means the slowest of the group. I will lose a month or two of riding, but it is worth it for the extra rides and happiness it will give me.

peterws

Wish you well. Love Wales; always take my bike there to do the hills. And this forum is fast becoming THE go to medical place. We need to spread the word not shut it down.
Have fun!

WNCGoater

True, the aches and pains can be a bit depressing. Waking at 3 AM to pee and can't go back to sleep. Arthritis in the joints. Unknown strange pain from nowhere. Neck vertebrae that never stops hurting. One beer putting you to sleep... And keeping on keeping on in spite of it and still enjoying the "high" from the endorphin dump following a 50 mile ride and the ego-boost of having people your age just shaking their heads in disbelief and saying, "You actually rode a bicycle _____ miles?!?!"

Saddest part is the older you get, the more "good" people and friends you see leave this world way too early. You see heartache in others lives and thank God you aren't dealing with THAT. Still seeing your folks and other family, friends, and acquaintances "going on" before you is a daily sadness in my heart. Some things just cannot be replaced, nor erased with "positive thinking".

But the thing that's depressing to me is how quickly I got here. Seems last month I was 21. Oh, to go back and live it again. So much wasted time and unproductive, unprofitable, foofarall.


Any young folks reading this, don't waste your days partying and doing stupid stuff. YOUR days are numbered also and before you know it you'll wonder what happened...

momsonherbike

THANK YOU! That is the funniest thing I've read all day today.

I, for one (mid 60s) am grateful to everyone who posts here, medical issues and all. Trust me when I say I've learned a lot. (Some not germane to my sex but still interesting nonetheless). Bet no one here has torn a rotator cuff taking a header off their horse while under attack by a psycho groundhog which caused said horse to reverse from a 1 mph head hanging amble forward to Mach 7 backward in a microsecond. Yup. Right off over her shoulder and under her feet. Hit my hemeted head hard when I met the ground (while snarling some very unladylike 4 letter words) and praying the fall didn't hurt my old T2 fracture from a bad fall (over a hunt jump) 15 years prior. Then getting up to watch my horse disappearing over the horizon, leaving me to deal with the psycho groundhog all by myself (gee, thank so much Summer!) which, to my great surprise, was no longer in the vicinity. Frankly, I think me hitting the ground with a thump and a volley of very bad words scared that thing into exiting stage left. Thankfully, home was at the end of the field - we were within sight of our farm, just getting back from an excellent 13 mile conditioning ride up the mountain, and were walking and cooling down when we were "attacked". (Actually, I think our appearance in the tall grass in the field surprised the poor groundhog who panicked and tried to race back to its hole which was on the other side of us).

My bike would NEVER have run off, leaving me stranded to jog back home. NEVER. Nor would it have dislocated my left hand's two end fingers by yanking a handlebar (rein) out of my hand when I hit the ground. A month later and I'm resigned to knowing my wedding ring will never come off over that joint ever again. At least I can close the hand now to make a fist...barely. The rotator cuff is taking longer to heal, but on a bright note my other arm is building a lot of nice strength and muscle.

I'll go back to work now - decorating my road bike with lights, greenery, et al, for the upcoming nighttime Christmas ride next weekend. Suffice to say there will be no groundhogs on this ride.

Honusms 

Agreed! I’ve had far more and more serious injuries messing with horses than I’ve ever had with my bicycles. And the bicycles don’t step on you or drag you through the brush.

JanMM

And, unlike horses, a bike can be hung up in a garage, unattended, for days, weeks, months, as needed.

mcgeggy

I see what you did there...