Leaks again after implant Ozurdex.

[Harrymole]

Back to eye clinic last week, told my leaking at the eye was bad, fluid and blood, ozurdex did the job for about 9 weeks. Was told at the clinic that all implants have been withdrawn from the UK not that its going to make any difference to me, my Doc has told me no more injections for me, they only stopping the leak for a short time so its not worth keeping up with injections. I was given all the scans etc and the dye test, showed parts of my eye are dead, so injections will not do any good. What he did do was laser my eye for around 15 minutes, back again in 2 to 3 weeks for another laser treatment. Just wondering if anyone has had this experience, and what could be the long term damage without injections even although they stopped the leak for short term only.

[Hidden]

Hi Harrymole

I hope it isn't true that all implants have been withdrawn from the UK. It does not affect me personally at present but they seem to have worked for for many other patients. I wonder if this is the result of the Brexit Chaos? A sad state of affairs!

It may be relief for you that the injections too have been stopped, but does that mean they have given up on that eye? It sounds you have lost your battle with preserving that eye. I do hope the laser treatment will do some good for you and I wish you the very best.

I am really concerned that the NHS will give up on other patients because the fluid keeps coming back. Of course it keeps coming back!! That is the nature of the beast, hence the injections to keep the deterioration in check.

Let us know how you get on with the laser treatment.

Good luck.

[Harrymole in reply to Hidden]

Hi Ayayay, thank you for your very prompt reply, very much appreciated.

The withdrawal of the implant is due to a small piece of plastic found in the implant, so all had to be recalled, that's what my Doc told me. He did mention the cost of the lucentis injection that i was on before i got the implant, £700. I dare say cost has something to do with cutting back in the lucentis as well.

[Jayral]

I was discharged from my NHS macular clinic in Feb 2017 as, like you, injections were no longer of any benefit to me due to scarring on the macula. The doctor who had been looking after me and always listened and discussed my situation so well had moved to another hospital and I felt I was now just cast adrift! My worry was that because my central vision is so affected anyway, I would not be able to detect further bleeding but I am fortunate that the optometrist at my optician’s is willing and able to monitor me fairly regularly or when I am concerned.

I am about to have cataract surgery in my ‘bad’ eye to help the peripheral vision and so help to balance both eyes, referred by my optometrist. I wear a contact lens to do that job at the moment. An earlier cataract operation on my ‘good’ eye means I have better than 20/20 vision in that eye after a lifetime of shortsightedness - I was fast tracked for that op by my doctor at the macular clinic 2 years ago. It was a revelation - clear vision and strong enough so that looking with both eyes, it compensated for my CNV eye which sees very little, if any, detail.

Sorry, gone on a bit there (!) but in answer to your question, I guess if you had bleeding/leakage in the future you might then get further injections to deal with that. I would ask at your next appointment. Best wishes, this eye journey is a rocky one!

[Harrymole in reply to Jayral]

Hi Jayral, thank you for your prompt reply. I had 17 lucentis injections before the implant. The reason for the withdrawal of the implant was a small piece of plastic was discovered in the implant, so all of the implants were recalled. My Doc did say they will be available next April.

[Hidden]

Hi harrymole. Sorry to hear your news. I'm on 4 th ozurdex and my doc said I could have more as long as they showed some improvement each time even if it didn't last. I have a review 8/12 so will ask if implants have now been withdrawn and will post the answer I am given!

As far as I'm concerned if we get some improvement then that has to be a good thing as it at least slows down the damage. Parts of eye may be dead but what about the rest?! if the implant stops working or I am denied another I shall ask to go back to inj - Wetmd sufferers can have inj monthly so why not us? I was moved to implant as inj wasn't lasting and implant meant fewer pokes in the eye but surely anything is better than nothing?

Personally I would write to the eye clinic via PALS and ask them to put in writing why they are giving up when wetmd is treated regularly even though it is an on going condition like ours is and ask for a second opinion.

Wishing you all the best. You are living my fear and my heart goes out to you x