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Waiting to see Retina specialist now

Photograph of hospital Eye centre waiting room
Just waiting now for a letter to see the consultant again to find out all the results and if there is anything that can be done.
I must say. The NHS have been so brilliant at getting these tests done so quickly, and everyone I have met have been lovely and so nice. Explaining what was happening, was I OK?
What would we do without it. When waiting for an appointment, there is always a sign saying how many people missed theirs. Which will in turn affect people desperate to be seen and cost the NHS thousands of pounds each day, so if you can’t go ring them ☺ someone else could take your place.
Posted in Hospital Appointments, My Tests Explained

My Hospital Appointment – ERG test – Electroretinography Part 2

Photograph of a womans eye with white dot sensors around the eye. Electroretinography
So, this is sort of what an ERG ( Electroretinography) test is.
Did you wince? ☺
First of all you have some anesthetic drops popped in your eyes.
A cotton/hair thickness wire is then put to your eye and pads put on your face. Forehead and at each temple.
Around 5 wires run from your head to be plugged into a machine.
Then you have to look at the flashing chequered grid for sometime.
After this, dilating drops are put in your eyes.
Then you sit in the dark without doing anything to let your eyes become accustomed to the darkness.
The next machine is like the visual field test I had.
You place your chin and face into the machine, then for about 20 minutes, white light pulsing and flashes at intervals.
You have to stare at a small red light and not blink while it flashes. You get a countdown to the next set of lights so you can time your blinking.
After that, it’s done, so you are unplugged.
Felt like an eyelash was annoying me in both eyes but it wasn’t as bad as I first thought.
It was more uncomfortable with the bright light. Which I’m photophobic anyway now as light hurts my eyes, hence part of why I’m having these tests for.
This tests finds out the condition and health of the light sensors in your retina, By electrical responses.
They feel better now but still slightly painful 2 days later.
Posted in Hospital Appointments

My Hospital Appointment – ERG test – Electroretinography Part 1

A close up of my green eye. With dilated pupils due to Electroretinography test
My dilated pupils today for my ERG test. Which was very interesting and abit like something out of a 70s sci-fi show and was all abit Clockwork Orange.
I will explain more in another post but had sensors put inside my lower eyelids and across the eyeballs, on each eye.
Anyone that knows me will know know how freaked out I was about this 😕 especially when the letter said wires… In eyes.
Then, pads put around my eyes and forehead were then plugged into a machine by coloured wires from the pads on my face ☺