Very well said! I agree...sounds very similar to me.
Sonia.
Sonia.
I'm doing very well! My eyes have healed perfectly and I have had no problems with them. How are you? From your other posts, it sounds like you're doing well and very happy to have the successful surgery behind you!
Take care
TSG
Take care
TSG
Oh good Im glad its all gone well! Yes, I am fine thanks. Just patiently waiting to heal properly, but all in all don't even really think about them anymore. :) I will keep updates coming for the others etc.
Anyway you take care also, and congrats on a successful surgery!
Sonia.
:P :P :P
Anyway you take care also, and congrats on a successful surgery!
Sonia.
:P :P :P
Just curious, what were your symptoms prior to surgery? Where your eyes red from the ping or red in general?
My eyes are red all the time from Visine abuse, I also have a ping on each that is yellowish-white with some increased redness. I hate them!
Did Dr. Hovasian give any indication about recurrence of the pings? Did the redness resolve immediately? What are you doing post-surgery? (sunglasses, drops etc.)
BTW-Congrats for you and your surgery!
My eyes are red all the time from Visine abuse, I also have a ping on each that is yellowish-white with some increased redness. I hate them!
Did Dr. Hovasian give any indication about recurrence of the pings? Did the redness resolve immediately? What are you doing post-surgery? (sunglasses, drops etc.)
BTW-Congrats for you and your surgery!
Prior to surgery, my eyes were very dry, red and irritated. . . not so much in my eye with the ping but definitely in my other eye with the pterygium. My eyes were red from the ping and pterygium, not red in general. Before the surgery, I use to use Visine too; however, overtime it can cause more harm than good. In the beginning it effectively "takes the red out" by constricting the blood vessels in your eye but as the dose wears off, the blood vessels in your eye overdilate due to the fact that you were constricting them for 4-6 hours and your eyes end up even more red than when you started. Also, eventually, the blood vessels in your eyes don't respond as well to the Visine drops and it requires you to keep putting in more and more drops to get the same effect. That is why my eye doctors warn about the "addicting" nature of those eye drops. In the weeks leading up to surgery I stopped using Visine drops all together, which caused my eyes to be red for a couple days in the beginning but they actually were less irritated and less red after I stop using the Visine after a couple days.
As far as for the recurrence of pings post-surgery . . . the risk of recurrence really depends on the type of procedure you elect to have done. Other techniques such as the bare sclera technique can have a recurrence rate up to 50! However, the newer, conjunctival autograft technique has a recurrence rate of 1-2%. Dr. Hovanesian performs the conjunctival autograft technique and he told me that he has performed over 1200 of these procedures and so far he has not had one recurrence yet! I have not seen any sign of recurrence in either of my eyes:) Also, if you read my earlier posts, it is a long recovery (approx. 3 months) before your eye completely heals, depending on how big your ping is. And during this time you should expect you eye to look a lot worse than before the surgery, however it is temporary and you won't have to apply Visine for the rest of your life! Since the surgery, I have been protecting my eyes with sunglasses and have not needed to use any lubricating eye drops.
Hope this helps!
As far as for the recurrence of pings post-surgery . . . the risk of recurrence really depends on the type of procedure you elect to have done. Other techniques such as the bare sclera technique can have a recurrence rate up to 50! However, the newer, conjunctival autograft technique has a recurrence rate of 1-2%. Dr. Hovanesian performs the conjunctival autograft technique and he told me that he has performed over 1200 of these procedures and so far he has not had one recurrence yet! I have not seen any sign of recurrence in either of my eyes:) Also, if you read my earlier posts, it is a long recovery (approx. 3 months) before your eye completely heals, depending on how big your ping is. And during this time you should expect you eye to look a lot worse than before the surgery, however it is temporary and you won't have to apply Visine for the rest of your life! Since the surgery, I have been protecting my eyes with sunglasses and have not needed to use any lubricating eye drops.
Hope this helps!
I would like to have the surgery ... I have one ping in my right eye (on the out part), and super tiny one (not really visible) on the left eye ... very annoying ... I am trying to collect some money to do it, my insurance doesn't cover eye surgeries.
I live in NY, I contacted the Harvard eye canter .... they haven't responded yet .... I asked them for a reference in NY ...... I really wouldn't know where to go because I do not trust anybody, especially eye docs :-( I am a big chicken about everything that regards my eyes .... it just scares the hell out of me thinking of putting something into my eye (contact lenses etc) .... forget about laser ..... so scary!!!!!!!!! But I wanna do it :-( I'll be strong ... and listening to you it's not as bad as someone might think ... right? Does it hurt during the procedure? Can you see even after they put the numbing drops? (soooo scary!!!) ... can you see when they operate? how do they keep your eye open and still?
I really do not have so much side effects as dry eyes ... it gets a little red around the ping (which is yellowish) but that's pretty much it .... a girl saw it once and told me that it looks "SO COOL" ... (there are many weirdos around :-)) Well, it can be something that makes you unique, if we want to be positive .... I am so negative, I don't even know where these thoughts are coming from :-)
Hope everyone will fell better with themselves, with ot without ping ....!!
(I am still gonna do it!! one day ............ when I find a doc I trust, when I have the money, when .... when .... ).
I live in NY, I contacted the Harvard eye canter .... they haven't responded yet .... I asked them for a reference in NY ...... I really wouldn't know where to go because I do not trust anybody, especially eye docs :-( I am a big chicken about everything that regards my eyes .... it just scares the hell out of me thinking of putting something into my eye (contact lenses etc) .... forget about laser ..... so scary!!!!!!!!! But I wanna do it :-( I'll be strong ... and listening to you it's not as bad as someone might think ... right? Does it hurt during the procedure? Can you see even after they put the numbing drops? (soooo scary!!!) ... can you see when they operate? how do they keep your eye open and still?
I really do not have so much side effects as dry eyes ... it gets a little red around the ping (which is yellowish) but that's pretty much it .... a girl saw it once and told me that it looks "SO COOL" ... (there are many weirdos around :-)) Well, it can be something that makes you unique, if we want to be positive .... I am so negative, I don't even know where these thoughts are coming from :-)
Hope everyone will fell better with themselves, with ot without ping ....!!
(I am still gonna do it!! one day ............ when I find a doc I trust, when I have the money, when .... when .... ).
Hi again ...
Whoever is in touch with his/her surgeon from the HArvard Associates, can please, please ask them for a reference in New York city? Someone they know, someone they recommend? .... I tried to reach them, but the secretaries weren't too helpful .... I am sure the doctors themselves know people in New york.
Thanks in advance for your help!!!!
Whoever is in touch with his/her surgeon from the HArvard Associates, can please, please ask them for a reference in New York city? Someone they know, someone they recommend? .... I tried to reach them, but the secretaries weren't too helpful .... I am sure the doctors themselves know people in New york.
Thanks in advance for your help!!!!
Hello Everyone,
I am 26 years old and have had a ping in each eye for about 10 years, I'm not exactly sure when they first appeared. I was a contact lense wearer and decided to get LASIK because I thought my eyes were dry due to the contacts but I was wrong. Don't get me wrong, I love LASIK but my eyes are still dry, uncomfortable, tired looking, etc. I have experienced the same problems with doctors over the years and have felt completely disillusioned until I cam across this site and read that all of you are experiencing the same symptoms I am and that it is not all in my head. I have used every eye drop available, seen many doctors, and they all tell me not to worry about it. But I am going to schedule surgery with Harvard Eye Doctors to have them removed because I can not deal with it anymore. For those of you who cannot afford surgery or are unable to finance it, just a couple of tips that I have learned over the years that make pings somewhat tolerable to live with. First, DO NOT use any redness relieving eye drops- Visine, allergy drops, etc. this will only make the redness and dryness worse. Look for eye drops that are natural tears without preservatives. I like Thera Tears brand drops for nighttime, but I use them all the time. They are thick and really lubricate the eye, plus they are reusable-though the directions say not to but that would be expensive with our condition- and pocket size. Also, if you go to an eye doctor DO NOT let them tell you not to worry about it. Emphasize your discomfort and ask to have your tear ducts permanently closed. My doctor cauterized them and put a stitch in and took out the stitch a few days later. This drastically improved the lubrication level in my eyes and helped with the redness as well. It is not the perfect solution-such as having them removed- but it has helped me immensely with depression-relating to the pings- and with other activities, like reading, computer use, etc. Also, ALWAYS wear protective sunglasses against UVA and UVB rays because I think most pings are caused by sun exposure. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
I am 26 years old and have had a ping in each eye for about 10 years, I'm not exactly sure when they first appeared. I was a contact lense wearer and decided to get LASIK because I thought my eyes were dry due to the contacts but I was wrong. Don't get me wrong, I love LASIK but my eyes are still dry, uncomfortable, tired looking, etc. I have experienced the same problems with doctors over the years and have felt completely disillusioned until I cam across this site and read that all of you are experiencing the same symptoms I am and that it is not all in my head. I have used every eye drop available, seen many doctors, and they all tell me not to worry about it. But I am going to schedule surgery with Harvard Eye Doctors to have them removed because I can not deal with it anymore. For those of you who cannot afford surgery or are unable to finance it, just a couple of tips that I have learned over the years that make pings somewhat tolerable to live with. First, DO NOT use any redness relieving eye drops- Visine, allergy drops, etc. this will only make the redness and dryness worse. Look for eye drops that are natural tears without preservatives. I like Thera Tears brand drops for nighttime, but I use them all the time. They are thick and really lubricate the eye, plus they are reusable-though the directions say not to but that would be expensive with our condition- and pocket size. Also, if you go to an eye doctor DO NOT let them tell you not to worry about it. Emphasize your discomfort and ask to have your tear ducts permanently closed. My doctor cauterized them and put a stitch in and took out the stitch a few days later. This drastically improved the lubrication level in my eyes and helped with the redness as well. It is not the perfect solution-such as having them removed- but it has helped me immensely with depression-relating to the pings- and with other activities, like reading, computer use, etc. Also, ALWAYS wear protective sunglasses against UVA and UVB rays because I think most pings are caused by sun exposure. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
I forgot to mention in my previous post about steroid drops. Do not agree to use these because the pings will not go away permanently and steroids are bad because they degrade tissue fibers and people become addicted to them. Also, try to eat more vegetables of various colors, flax or hemp oil-uncooked and unrefined, drink a lot of water, take vitamin supplements for eye health, and stay away from animal fats-meat, butter, etc. because these inhibit the uptake of the essential fatty acids which are very good for eye and overall health. Cheers
Also, always protect your eyes from the sun and the elements- wind, dust, etc. and stay out of tanning beds or if you do go, definitely wear the goggles they provide. I think my pings originated because I was stupid in high school and went to tanning beds and did not wear goggles every time.
Hey Kayti are you still around? I got pinguicula and afraid of undergoing surgery.
how does your eye looks now? Are you noticing anything bothersome in your eye? Any adverse reactions of any type?
I would appreciate any feedback you can give me.
how does your eye looks now? Are you noticing anything bothersome in your eye? Any adverse reactions of any type?
I would appreciate any feedback you can give me.
Hello all,
I have an appointment scheduled with Harvard Eye Clinic in CA for January 9th. I cannot even express how happy I am. The price ranges from about $2000-3000 per eye but in CA you cannot be charged for the full amount for both eyes if the surgery is on the same day, i.e. one eye will be full price and the other will be half of that. They do accept insurance for it if your company is in their policy and vice versa, so make sure to check with your company and Harvard Eye to find out if you are covered or not. Unfortunately, I am not covered so will be paying cash. They do have financing options available as well. I am fortunate that I have grandparents who live about an hour away from the center because I live in New York. I will keep you posted with details at time of surgery and post-op. bye bye
I have an appointment scheduled with Harvard Eye Clinic in CA for January 9th. I cannot even express how happy I am. The price ranges from about $2000-3000 per eye but in CA you cannot be charged for the full amount for both eyes if the surgery is on the same day, i.e. one eye will be full price and the other will be half of that. They do accept insurance for it if your company is in their policy and vice versa, so make sure to check with your company and Harvard Eye to find out if you are covered or not. Unfortunately, I am not covered so will be paying cash. They do have financing options available as well. I am fortunate that I have grandparents who live about an hour away from the center because I live in New York. I will keep you posted with details at time of surgery and post-op. bye bye
I had pterygium removal surgery on 10/24 with Dr. Hovanesian. I am SO impressed with Dr Hovanesian and his staff.
I am 28 and my pterygium has been on my cornea since 1997! I was very young and it kept growing slightly every year. I have chickened out of several surgeries. I'm so glad I waited and had this procedure done with Dr. H. He is absolutely amazing and so nice.
I have pictures of my eye. It looks pretty nasty. My friends swear you can't tell it looks so gross when I have my glasses on.
If anyone is interested I'd be happy to share my pre-surgery and post op pics. It is SO hard to find good pictures of the healing time after surgery! I had no idea what to expect! If I can help someone about to have the surgery that would be great.
I don't know the rules for posting pics. I've never posted here before. :-) Is it okay to add pictures?
I am 28 and my pterygium has been on my cornea since 1997! I was very young and it kept growing slightly every year. I have chickened out of several surgeries. I'm so glad I waited and had this procedure done with Dr. H. He is absolutely amazing and so nice.
I have pictures of my eye. It looks pretty nasty. My friends swear you can't tell it looks so gross when I have my glasses on.
If anyone is interested I'd be happy to share my pre-surgery and post op pics. It is SO hard to find good pictures of the healing time after surgery! I had no idea what to expect! If I can help someone about to have the surgery that would be great.
I don't know the rules for posting pics. I've never posted here before. :-) Is it okay to add pictures?
It's very nice to read all these positive posts about the autograft technique for pinguecula/pterygium removal. I'm so happy to hear that people are obtaining the relief and results they were hoping to get from this procedure. I'm considering having this surgery myself, as I too have a pinguecula in one of my eyes (nasal side). It is pretty small, though, and APPARENTLY not that noticeable (or people are just trying to be nice and tell me that can't see anything there!). It's basically a little yellow lump on the white of my eye with one prominent red vein feeding into it. I don't even feel it there and it never gets irritated. But I KNOW it's there and sometimes, I must admit, it makes me a little self-conscious (I have a hard time looking people in the eye). I'm just wondering if it's worth the time and effort to go through the surgery and whole healing process to try to get rid of it. I've discussed it with my ophthalmologist, but he's extremely conservative (which is a good thing, in my opinion) and he has expressed to me that he doesn't think I should do it. But I would really like to have it removed. Is there anyone here that's had the autograft procedure performed on a small pinguecula? I live in California (Bay Area) and would consider making the short trip down to Harvard Eye to have the surgery done there. Any thoughts? Anyone? Thanks for your help.
Mary
Mary
I have a question about the surgery. During surgery do they put you under anesthesia so you are completely out or do they just give you a strong relaxer and you stay awake during surgery. Thanks.