Richard
Final Approach
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2005
- Messages
- 9,076
- Location
- West Coast Resistance
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Ack...city life
This is a medical matter but I'm putting it here for max exposure.
If it's been more than one year you need to schedule a visit with the optometrist. Even if there is no family history, you have uncorrected vision, you're young, you protect your eyes, yada yada.
Let my story be a warning: a recent eye injury brought me back to my optometrist. He removed a fleck of ferrous metal but was greatly concerned about the rust stain. He referred me to a surgeon who removed additional metal and ran some more tests. The surgeon noticed what appeared to be melanoma. A check up OV confirmed this. Surgery is scheduled soon. They're gonna stick a sharp knife in and scrape. I am not looking forward to this.
I have always had great vision but I've spent a lifetime on the water and under a sometimes harsh sun. So I've been outdoors a lot. Even when young I never went for the tan but chose to stay 'bundled up' (hat, dark sunglasses, sunscreen, longsleeve shirt, etc) I figured even though I took precautions I was putting myself at risk so I made annual treks to the dermatologist and optometrist.
Last October was my most recent full on eye exam---and there was no melanoma! The surgeon explained this by saying it 'evolves' very quickly when on the eye. He sees about 10 of these per year. Sure, he probably has a thriving practice but he's one guy in a semi-rural area.
Anyway, doing nothing is a very bad idea. He listed three different ways I could lose the eye within the year if I do nothing. Also, there is the risk to other organs (the melanoma will diffuse across porous bone into areas you don't want to talk about.)
Weird to say, but this recent injury was a blessing in disguise because my eye could very well be too far gone before my next scheduled OV. Also, this surgeon is a pilot so he understands my concerns there and he is NOT a required reporter to the FAA although he coordinates his work with several senior AMEs. He will tailor his report to accompany my next Class 2 exam.
Get your eyes checked.
If it's been more than one year you need to schedule a visit with the optometrist. Even if there is no family history, you have uncorrected vision, you're young, you protect your eyes, yada yada.
Let my story be a warning: a recent eye injury brought me back to my optometrist. He removed a fleck of ferrous metal but was greatly concerned about the rust stain. He referred me to a surgeon who removed additional metal and ran some more tests. The surgeon noticed what appeared to be melanoma. A check up OV confirmed this. Surgery is scheduled soon. They're gonna stick a sharp knife in and scrape. I am not looking forward to this.
I have always had great vision but I've spent a lifetime on the water and under a sometimes harsh sun. So I've been outdoors a lot. Even when young I never went for the tan but chose to stay 'bundled up' (hat, dark sunglasses, sunscreen, longsleeve shirt, etc) I figured even though I took precautions I was putting myself at risk so I made annual treks to the dermatologist and optometrist.
Last October was my most recent full on eye exam---and there was no melanoma! The surgeon explained this by saying it 'evolves' very quickly when on the eye. He sees about 10 of these per year. Sure, he probably has a thriving practice but he's one guy in a semi-rural area.
Anyway, doing nothing is a very bad idea. He listed three different ways I could lose the eye within the year if I do nothing. Also, there is the risk to other organs (the melanoma will diffuse across porous bone into areas you don't want to talk about.)
Weird to say, but this recent injury was a blessing in disguise because my eye could very well be too far gone before my next scheduled OV. Also, this surgeon is a pilot so he understands my concerns there and he is NOT a required reporter to the FAA although he coordinates his work with several senior AMEs. He will tailor his report to accompany my next Class 2 exam.
Get your eyes checked.