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I was terrified of an eyeball injection

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Re: I was terrified of an eyeball injection

#171

Post by ignoramous »

sdenton4 wrote: post #68
gdebel wrote: post #42

(Ophthalmologist): To any future HN reader scared by those intraocular injections: don't fear them. I'm on my way to the operating room and going to perform cataract surgery under topical (=eyedrops only) anesthesia, as I always do, and as most surgeons today do. Patients won't feel anything except water slightly flowing on the eye surface. The surgical knife is 2.2mm wide : the 25 Gauge needle is 0.260mm wide. Anest…

My fun fun eye surgery was to remove a stye that had hardened into a chalazion. This didn't involve any actual needle/scalpel work on the eye itself, but did require flipping my eyelid inside-out and cutting into the back with a scalpel. The local anaesthetic worked great. A side effect of the eyelid-flip (I think) was that my eye rolled into a position that wasn't seeing anything. Overall, it was kinda like going to…

Had that one myself. Looks way scarier in the videos: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/phWKZTsy2dg In reality, it is a not a big deal at all.

Re: I was terrified of an eyeball injection

#172

Post by nickthemagicman »

selimthegrim wrote: post #6
nickthemagicman wrote: post #3

I couldn't even finish reading the article, the prospect sounded so horrifying. This author is a king.

Going in for a retinal exam (in Metairie) today, I took heart from the author.

Stay strong soldier! Hope everything turns out alright.

If you get the dilation your eye's will look like you are possessed by a ghost, for the rest of the day, and you might scare children ;).

Re: I was terrified of an eyeball injection

#173

Post by gdebel »

notJim wrote: post #113
gdebel wrote: post #42

(Ophthalmologist): To any future HN reader scared by those intraocular injections: don't fear them. I'm on my way to the operating room and going to perform cataract surgery under topical (=eyedrops only) anesthesia, as I always do, and as most surgeons today do. Patients won't feel anything except water slightly flowing on the eye surface. The surgical knife is 2.2mm wide : the 25 Gauge needle is 0.260mm wide. Anest…

No offense to you, but this attitude is exactly the problem here. I know it's not rational to be very concerned about this, but I also know that the entire duration of that procedure, I will be thinking "KNIFE. IN. EYE." In the world I normally inhabit, knives should not ever be in eyes, so this is an incredibly stressful thought, stressful enough that I might do something crazy like MOVE WHILE A KNIFE IS IN MY EYE.…

Well, by looking at all the answers, I obviously missed my point. Sorry for that :-) (I'm not a native english speaker as you noticed so it may also explain the misunderstanding ?)

Of course this is not how I talk to my patients... I usually explain the cataract surgery procedure as follows : "the only thing you will feel is water on the side of your face, and the only thing you will see is a very powerful light. You won't see anything scary and you won't feel any pain. We will talk during the surgery and when it will be over, you will tell me that you shouldn't have been afraid". And that's how it goes.

The eye injection procedure is even faster and painless.

Sorry for the gruesome details I gave.

Also, yes, don't look any Youtube videos, because your experience will be totally different than watching the procedure. Youtube videos are scary.

Re: I was terrified of an eyeball injection

#174

Post by kgin »

d2wa wrote: post #128
kgin wrote: post #65

I’m curious why it seems they were seemingly conservative with the anti-anxiety meds? A large enough benzo dose would turn this from the worst day ever to a relaxing experience in just a few minutes.

Side effects like addiction and _feeling suicidal_ makes doctors quite conservative.

I just mean a one-time dose for a procedure, not an ongoing prescription.

Re: I was terrified of an eyeball injection

#175

Post by srvmshr »

I have choroiditis. It has formed patches of dead zones in my retina, maybe due to a faulty gene. I have to get steroid injections to my eyeball (intra-focal administration) whenever there is a significant flareup.

That bring said, I was apprehensive the first time. But you have to trust the doctor and his skills. The injection itself doesn't hurt. There are no pain receptors in that zone. Only a faint prick when the needle pierces the sclera (the white outer skin of the eyeball).

In my case, the doctor explained me before what I had to expect. A sort of cost-benefit analysis: "Bear your anxiety for a few seconds and the disease gets under control". It helps to understand what is at stake. Also, knowing the physiology of the process eases the nerves. If I know there is no nerve ending to feel the pain, I know I will be more relaxed.

Protip: I keep my fist clenched to my belt & gaze fixed to a spot to prevent any accidental movement.

Re: I was terrified of an eyeball injection

#176

Post by DantesKite »

Traubenfuchs wrote: post #114
DantesKite wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I developed severe dry eyes, light sensitivity, halos, and migraines as a result of corticosteroids. But I was able to reverse a majority of it and continue to do after learning Tribulus upregulates androgen receptors in the brain, which seems to control the aqueous liquid in our eyes. I'm not sure what Vitamin A does to the body. From a cursory glance, it seems to affect skin androgen receptors, which would explain…

To be more precise, androgens (especially DHT) suppress inflammation in the meibomian glands. I strongly recommend dissolving an oral pill of hyaluronic acid twice daily -do not swallow the pill whole, it won‘t dissolve and you will shit a tiny gelatine egg. Besides that eye heating masks and lid-hygiene (e.g. blephacura) do wonders. As for AR expression, I believe L-Carnitin should also improve it. Creatine should i…

Interesting. I already take hyaluronic acid for my gum disease.

But I’m not sure you understand. My dry eyes are basically gone. And it’s only been a few months. Every time I take the treatment it gets better. Not just that but the lights sensitivity, glares, and migraines are basically down to 10%.

I understand the hesitation however. I hope you continue to improve.

Re: I was terrified of an eyeball injection

#177

Post by boloust »

rblatz wrote: post #76
cortesoft wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can't tell me not to fear it. I have a HUGE eye phobia; I can't even open my eyes under water. It doesn't matter what anyone says, it isn't a rational thing.

This is so bizarre to me, to be an adult and just unable to control your own body? I guess I'm lucky to not have this issue, but man it's so foreign to me that you can't even open your eyes under water.

It could be that you just don't have very strong emotions. The "dynamic range" of felt emotion varies greatly between individuals.

Re: I was terrified of an eyeball injection

#178

Post by CallMeJim »

lisper wrote: post #157
Jxl180 wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Blink reflex doesn’t really matter. If it’s anything like my Lasik surgery, they insert devices (like Clockwork orange) to make it impossible to blink — who wouldn’t have the urge to blink when something is approaching their eye? It’s an involuntary reflex for self preservation. They also put a ring in my eye that made it impossible for me to move my eye whatsoever regardless of my urge to look away.

Yeah, I get that. The issue is not that it wouldn't work, the issue is that I think it would be more traumatic for me then a normal person, and I base that assessment on the fact that putting contacts in is more traumatic for me than a normal person (like "extremely traumatic" vs "something so non-traumatic that they voluntarily do it to themselves on a regular basis").

I wore contact lenses for 10 years, before getting lasik.

The first time, it took 30 minutes to get them in.

For the first few months, I really struggled. Eventually it got easier, and in a short time I could put them in first time, every time

We're taught from a young age to not put things in our eyes, and it does take time to overcome that. The thought of it might be extremely traumatic now, but if you did it every day, you'd find that disappearing quickly.

Re: I was terrified of an eyeball injection

#179

Post by CallMeJim »

sdenton4 wrote: post #68
gdebel wrote: post #42

(Ophthalmologist): To any future HN reader scared by those intraocular injections: don't fear them. I'm on my way to the operating room and going to perform cataract surgery under topical (=eyedrops only) anesthesia, as I always do, and as most surgeons today do. Patients won't feel anything except water slightly flowing on the eye surface. The surgical knife is 2.2mm wide : the 25 Gauge needle is 0.260mm wide. Anest…

My fun fun eye surgery was to remove a stye that had hardened into a chalazion. This didn't involve any actual needle/scalpel work on the eye itself, but did require flipping my eyelid inside-out and cutting into the back with a scalpel. The local anaesthetic worked great. A side effect of the eyelid-flip (I think) was that my eye rolled into a position that wasn't seeing anything. Overall, it was kinda like going to…

I had the same procedure on a lower eyelid, but the stye made the eyelid too thick to flip.

An attendant had to force the eyelid down while the stye was lanced with a scalpel.

For some reason, the anaesthetic didn't take effect.

Pain.

Re: I was terrified of an eyeball injection

#180

Post by lisper »

CallMeJim wrote: post #178
lisper wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I get that. The issue is not that it wouldn't work, the issue is that I think it would be more traumatic for me then a normal person, and I base that assessment on the fact that putting contacts in is more traumatic for me than a normal person (like "extremely traumatic" vs "something so non-traumatic that they voluntarily do it to themselves on a regular basis").

I wore contact lenses for 10 years, before getting lasik. The first time, it took 30 minutes to get them in. For the first few months, I really struggled. Eventually it got easier, and in a short time I could put them in first time, every time We're taught from a young age to not put things in our eyes, and it does take time to overcome that. The thought of it might be extremely traumatic now, but if you did it every…

Thanks, but I've been wearing glasses for 45 years now. I've made my peace with the fact that the contacts thing ain't gonna happen for me.
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