Hi Bob, and thanks for your question. As usual, this is not a
substitute for medical advice or direct evaluation and treatment by a
medical professional.
As one commenter noted, true retinal detachment is a medical emergency
and needs to be evaluated immediately. Fortunately, you have been
evaluated by at least one medical professional who did not detect a
retinal detachment. This is not to say that your optometrist could
not have missed this, but it is unlikely. You could also have a
retinal tear or some other retinal disorder. Typically,
farsightedness is not associated with detached retina, although severe
nearsightedness can predispose a person to it.
Here are some good resources to learn more about detached retinas:
Information from the NIH:
http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/retinaldetach/index.asp
eMedicine articles (these are somewhat more technical, but provide
more detailed information):
http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic504.htm
http://www.emedicine.com/oph/topic410.htm
AllAboutVision:
http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/retinadetach.htm
======================
Recommendations for ophthalmologists in the Round Rock / Austin area:
There are several good options, so I'll list the best people I can
find to give you some options. Many optometrists are focusing on the
more lucrative area of LASIK surgery, and I have only included those
physicians who focus on areas more closely related to your potential
problem.
There are two good ophthalmologists at the Scott & White Eye Institute
who work out of Temple, TX. It's a little further away than Austin,
but I'll list them and you can decide.
______
Dr. J. Paul Dieckert
Dr. Dieckert received his MD at UT Houston and did fellowship training
at the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary in Boston, a well known and
respected member of the Harvard Medical School group of hospitals.
http://www.sw.org/sw/portal/.cmd/SWActionDispatcher/_pagr/105/_pa.105/148/.swaction/org.sw.browse/.swdoc/wps_jsps~ea_dat_employee.Physician.jsp/.swkey/333/.piid/302/.ciid/670
______
Dr. R. Doug Davis
Dr. Davis has been at Scott & White for the past 15 years and has
received several awards.
http://www.sw.org/sw/portal/.cmd/SWActionDispatcher/_pagr/105/_pa.105/148/.swaction/org.sw.browse/.swdoc/wps_jsps~ea_dat_employee.Physician.jsp/.swkey/330/.piid/302/.ciid/670
You can request appointments from this page:
http://www.sw.org/sw/portal/.cmd/SWActionDispatcher/_pagr/107/_pa.107/116/.swaction/org.sw.browse/.swdoc/~iwcontent~public~appointment~en_us~html~appointment.jsp%20/.piid/152/.ciid/253
Scott & White is building a center in Round Rock, but I don't think
they are taking patients yet.
==========
There are several good ophthalmologists practicing in Round Rock.
Part of the Round Rock Medical Center, Eye Associates of Central Texas
(right next to the hospital) has 5 ophthalmologists. They practice
out of several offices.
Dr. Patricia Dearman
Dr. Dearman has been practicing in Round Rock since 1983.
______
Dr. Thomas L. Hendrix
Dr. Hendrix has also been practicing in Round Rock since 1983 (Drs.
Dearman and Hendrix are married).
______
Dr. W. Thomas Kittleman
Dr. Kittleman has been practicing in Round Rock since 1985.
______
Dr. Joseph L. Meyer
Dr. Meyer has been in Round Rock since 1998.
http://www.bugsinthenews.com/eye_associates_of_central_texas_pg%201.htm
http://www.bugsinthenews.com/eye_associates_of_central_texas_pg%202.htm
==========
In Austin, the Austin Diagnostic Clinic has several good
Ophthalmologists to choose from:
Dr. Thomas Chandler
12221 MoPac Expressway North
2nd Floor, North Entrance
Austin, TX 78758
512-901-4014
http://www.adclinic.com/Doctors_Specialties_Maps/Doctors/TChandler.htm
http://www.adclinic.com/Doctors_Specialties_Maps/Ophthalmology/ophthinfo.htm
Dr. Chandler did retina fellowship training at UT Houston at the
Hermann Eye Center. He's currently the Vice-Chairman of the ADC. He
received a Texas Monthly Super Doctor in 2004.
==========
Although further away, the University of Texas Medical Branch has a
very good Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences program. Here are some
contacts:
Dr. Bernard F. Godley
http://www.utmb.edu/ovs/Faculty/Godley/Godley.htm
Dr. Godley is the chairman and has a long list of honors and awards.
He has trained at Harvard, MIT, Brown, University of Iowa, University
of London, and the Retinal Institute of Maryland.
______
Dr. Garvin Davis
http://www.utmb.edu/ovs/Faculty/Davis/GDavis.htm
Dr. Davis has not been practicing as long as Dr. Godley above, but
already has an impressive training history, including MIT, Wilmer Eye
Institute, Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Jefferson University, and Baylor.
She is a retinal specialist.
==================
While you could certainly travel further and perhaps find a more
accomplished ophthalmologist, I am confident that any of the above
physicians can help with your diagnosis and treatment. There is also
something to be said for being close enough to your physician that you
can get good followup care. If you have a surgeon in Boston, will you
be able to fly all the way back for your appointments? What happens
more commonly in this situation is that people either don't go to
their followup appointments or see someone locally who handles the
followup. It may be better if the person seeing you for followup is
the same one who performed the procedure, if in fact you actually need
one.
I do recommend contacting someone for a second opinion as soon as
possible. While your negative evaluation by your optometrist makes a
true retinal detachment less likely, you don't want to risk your
vision.
I hope this information was useful. Please feel free to request any
clarification prior to rating.
Best,
-welte-ga |
