Swimming after Retinal Detachment?

I don't mind replying here. I actually put up a post last year when this first happened hoping to find someone who had been through this. So in the off chance someone tries to find info, they might be able to. That said, let me be as unambiguous as possible. I am just a parent, an engineer, etc. I am NOT a physician, I am NOT an expert. My business partner's brother is a retired eye surgeon, so I was able to glean some insight from that. But for anyone reading this, do NOT go to your doctor and say "I read on this random forum, this random dude who sounded really educated about this said........" You can not only go blind in the eye, but you can actually lose the eye (I'll get to that) if you don't follow medical advice. So, that out of the way..... Daughter is 15 (14 when the first one happened). Both she and her twin sister are very, very myopic, so given the shape of the eye, RD's are not uncommon. They will both be seeing a retina specialist every 6 months I guess in perpetuity because of it. They are -10 to -11 diopters, which is kind of off the charts. To put it in perspective, -5 diopters is 20/400. So yeah, they are bad. She was at IU swim camp when it happened, but none of the tell-tale signs exhibited themselves. It was a few days later that she commented her eye was "dark" and hard to see out of. Took her in, and yep, detached retina. When she had the buckle, they did tack down some spots on her good eye. So far her sister hasn't had an issue, but she has a spot that we are watching very closely (fluid buildup under the retina can cause a separation - the fluid usually goes away, but it hasn't). So on the buckle, the pressure in the eye isn't affected. I am guessing that that is why lifting was not an issue. But nearly the whole eye is exposed during the entire procedure. As I gather, the sclera is cut, the buckle put in place, and then the sclera is sutured back around it. that part of the eye with that procedure takes a very long time to heal, and the problem with water is that if any gets back there, it can make its way under the buckle, and cause an infection. If that happens, then they eye may be lost. I did not know that at the time this happened, I just assumed that the doctor thought "swimming" meant horsing around, rather than wearing goggles, etc. But once that was fully explained, I understood. But again, no problem with weights or intense drylands. On the vitrectomy, only a small incision is made through the eye, and all of the work is inside. That incision will heal very quickly, so exposure to water after only a couple of weeks is not a problem. But, there is added "stuff" in there. And here is where I don't know as much. I believe that that increases the pressure, but I am uncertain. I know, as you do, that where either the argon or the silicone oil goes is absolutely critical for keep the retina pushed up against the wall of the eye. I don't know if straining may change the shape of the eye, which may lift teh retina, and allow the argon or silicone to get behind it. But I do know that it is very critical that it stay in place. That is why many people deal with what you did, the need to life face down for most of the day. Perhaps age is how Abigail didn't have to do that. While swimming, she is doing longer sets, and not doing the underwaters as much as she usually does (she has incredible underwaters). She doesn't do the full bob down to 12 feet when they do that drill. But, she is to NOT spend time on her back during this. Which kind of stinks, it is a very good stroke for her (she has a Winter Junior cut in it, as well as Fly). Of course, we get to start over again tomorrow when she goes back to re-do the re-do (3rd time the charm I hope!). Again, the reason hers failed teh second time was because she was laying on the wrong side. FWIW, we are travelling to a children's specialist and MD-PhD for the surgery. Did not on the buckle, but since it failed, he referred us to a more specialized expert (pediatric).

I don't mind replying here. I actually put up a post last year when this first happened hoping to find someone who had been through this. So in the off chance someone tries to find info, they might be able to. That said, let me be as unambiguous as possible. I am just a parent, an engineer, etc. I am NOT a physician, I am NOT an expert. My business partner's brother is a retired eye surgeon, so I was able to glean some insight from that. But for anyone reading this, do NOT go to your doctor and say "I read on this random forum, this random dude who sounded really educated about this said........" You can not only go blind in the eye, but you can actually lose the eye (I'll get to that) if you don't follow medical advice. So, that out of the way..... Daughter is 15 (14 when the first one happened). Both she and her twin sister are very, very myopic, so given the shape of the eye, RD's are not uncommon. They will both be seeing a retina specialist every 6 months I guess in perpetuity because of it. They are -10 to -11 diopters, which is kind of off the charts. To put it in perspective, -5 diopters is 20/400. So yeah, they are bad. She was at IU swim camp when it happened, but none of the tell-tale signs exhibited themselves. It was a few days later that she commented her eye was "dark" and hard to see out of. Took her in, and yep, detached retina. When she had the buckle, they did tack down some spots on her good eye. So far her sister hasn't had an issue, but she has a spot that we are watching very closely (fluid buildup under the retina can cause a separation - the fluid usually goes away, but it hasn't). So on the buckle, the pressure in the eye isn't affected. I am guessing that that is why lifting was not an issue. But nearly the whole eye is exposed during the entire procedure. As I gather, the sclera is cut, the buckle put in place, and then the sclera is sutured back around it. that part of the eye with that procedure takes a very long time to heal, and the problem with water is that if any gets back there, it can make its way under the buckle, and cause an infection. If that happens, then they eye may be lost. I did not know that at the time this happened, I just assumed that the doctor thought "swimming" meant horsing around, rather than wearing goggles, etc. But once that was fully explained, I understood. But again, no problem with weights or intense drylands. On the vitrectomy, only a small incision is made through the eye, and all of the work is inside. That incision will heal very quickly, so exposure to water after only a couple of weeks is not a problem. But, there is added "stuff" in there. And here is where I don't know as much. I believe that that increases the pressure, but I am uncertain. I know, as you do, that where either the argon or the silicone oil goes is absolutely critical for keep the retina pushed up against the wall of the eye. I don't know if straining may change the shape of the eye, which may lift teh retina, and allow the argon or silicone to get behind it. But I do know that it is very critical that it stay in place. That is why many people deal with what you did, the need to life face down for most of the day. Perhaps age is how Abigail didn't have to do that. While swimming, she is doing longer sets, and not doing the underwaters as much as she usually does (she has incredible underwaters). She doesn't do the full bob down to 12 feet when they do that drill. But, she is to NOT spend time on her back during this. Which kind of stinks, it is a very good stroke for her (she has a Winter Junior cut in it, as well as Fly). Of course, we get to start over again tomorrow when she goes back to re-do the re-do (3rd time the charm I hope!). Again, the reason hers failed teh second time was because she was laying on the wrong side. FWIW, we are travelling to a children's specialist and MD-PhD for the surgery. Did not on the buckle, but since it failed, he referred us to a more specialized expert (pediatric).