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Hi David -

Great info on your detached retina experience. I too had a detached retina in my right eye in late 1997. I had the laser welding done - I thought it felt like someone jamming a knitting needle into the back of your head! Luckily nothing major has happened since.

My vision recovered pretty well, although not totally, and I get the wavy disruption to straight lines too - looking at a sheet of graph paper reminds me every time.

We are so lucky to have retained our vision, and those who have 20/20 sight have no idea how lucky they are to see the world with such clarity.

Hope your eyes remain well,

Rick Burlow
Magellan Mine Site
Western Australia

Hi David,
I am glad to see that you are well - and still have that great sense of humour, which I remember you for during your days at Astro - where it was needed badly ;-)

I most enjoyed your Malaysian Road Rules article and the fabulous pictures you have taken.

Thank you for a most entertaining website.

Take care and keep on trekking.

Viji Rajasundram

Hi Kath,

I'm surprised that your consultant told you he/she is not certain what causes the flashing in your eye. The eye surgeons that have operated on my eyes have all told me that it is caused by the vitreous jelly pulling on the retina - so I didn't think there was any doubt about what causes the flashing. In fact, it is that action of the vitreous jelly pulling on the retina that causes the detachment in the first place, which is why a retinal detachment is usually accompanied by flashing in the eye.

Yes, it should settle in time, once the vitreous jelly has fully detached from the retina. One eye doctor told me that shouldn't take more than 6-8 weeks, but I still have flashing in my right eye more than two years after the vitreous detachment started in that eye, so for some people it can last a lot longer.

Regards . . . David

Hi David,

Many thanks for posting your story re. your retina traumas. It serves as a fantastic warning to anyone that if they ever experience a black curtain or strange light flashes within their eye/s to get themselves straight to casualty. Until it happened to me I didn't realise just how much I took my eyesight for granted and how frightening it is to think about the possibility of losing your sight. I came across your story whilst searching on the internet for some support after recently having the "buckle" op for my detached retina. Like yourself, I still get a lot of flashing in the eye which really freaks me out at times. My Consultant says that it will hopefully settle in time although they are not certain why it happens but think that it may be as a result of the brain getting confused! I wish you all the very best for the future and hope that your eye traumas are now well and truly over. Thanks again.

Hi David , having just experienced a retinal tear ,myself , along with all the symptoms and laser treatments, as described by you ,I found it strangely comforting to know that others have had the same problems and worrying moments as I have .Thanks for sharing it with us . Best regards Geoff Hickling Kiama Australia

Hi David,
There is actually a guidebook about driving to be sold in Malaysia. However, if you really want to buy a copy for it, you will have to pay about RM6 at any driving school nearby (Not those little shops down the streets with an "L" sign as they're places only for registration to learn driving). I'm really sorry about the police officer part. It has been a fact that police officers stop drivers for no reason and ask for money. You certainly have to keep an eye on them whenever you drive especially during the public holidays and any other celebrations. All the best driving in Malaysia.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

David- Thank you for the posting /article about your detached retina experience. I am very near sighted (-10) and need cataract surgery soon... This increases the chances of a detached retina to about 6% (I have heard). Your article was very helpful in understanding what to expect if this should happen.
Anna

Hi, David
I saw pic of JP aircraft YS-11 you took at Baguio on "TREKEAYTH".
I think it's a pretty nice. I also would like to let you know about sharing that pic at bulletin board for Big Fan who wish traveling a lot there in philippines.

Regards: Okuyama

Hi David,
I loved looking through the photos, your UAE shots look stunning. Keep up the good work and hello from Melbourne, Australi!
Cheers
Beulah

David,
Thanks for your excellent description of the treatment for detached retinas. I suffered a torn retina in December 2006, but the symptoms were so dramatic (brown streaks in my field of vision) that I saw the eye doctor soon after. I had two laser treatments in that eye and so far, so good. Just this past Monday I had to have laser surgery on my right eye. This time the symptoms were not as dramatic and I'd had a retina tear but didn't know it. When I saw the zillions of black dots in my field of vision I saw the retina specialist that day and had laser surgery. The only concern is that a lot of fluid collected behind the tear so it is actually partially detached, and it has to be watched to be sure the fluid goes down. Your description of the detached retina surgery is so frightening, but I'm so glad you gave a first hand account of it. It's difficult for me to go through something like this and have people not understand what it's like and how scary it is to risk losing your eyesight. On Monday after I had the eye surgery my boss asked me to come back to work to finish the day. He just doesn't understand what it's all about. Now I plan to let people read your description so they know what it's really like. I hope you and your eyes are both well and that your vision improves. Thanks so much again for this website.

Hi Carmen,

Nice to hear from you. I've already posted a few of my pics from Greenland on TrekEarth http://www.trekearth.com/members/banyanman/photos including some of the old US airbase that you and Kent visited after us. I'm in Istanbul now, on my way to Azerbaijan, so I will post some more when I get back to KL next weekend.

Looking forward to seeing some of Kent's photos on TrekEarth too.

Cheers . . . David

Hi David,

Just a short note to tell you that we've been here. We came back to HK two days ago.

It's a pleasure that we talked and had breakfast at the Red House in Tasiilaq.

Your pictures and website are nice and we hope to take a look on your pictures of Greenland too!

Cheers

Carmen & Kent

Hi Jordan,

Damo and Kaz are doing fine. I'm not sure when you last heard from them. I assume it was after their couple of months in Vietnam and the Philippines when they went back to Brisbane, After that they went to India and Nepal. They stayed in Nepal instead of going to China and did a 10 day trek to Everest base camp and some white-water rafting. After that they went to Dubai (where they went snow-skiing of all things!) and then onto Turkey. We will be meeting up with them in London on Friday of this week. I'll let them know you were enquiring about them.

Cheers . . . David

PS: Sorry for the delay in replying. We have been in Greenland and didn't have time to get onto the Internet.

Hi David, its Jordan, Damien's nephew just wondering if you have got any updates on Damo and Kaz' trip,

Thanks :)

Hi David,

I saw your pictures of Kiribati on TrekEarth today and had to thank you for putting them up. I reccently spent 5 weeks there and it was great to see it hasn't been totally left out of sights like that. My photos are not nearly of that quality, plus I couldn't figure out how to post them if I wanted to, so thanks again. I have very fond memories from my stay and your photos brought them back.

Elizabeth

Hello David

I am fascinated by the pictures of North Korea. I would love to use some of them for my upcoming publications. Can you please contact me? Thanks!

SY

G'day David, Am likely to be spending a night in KL round about the 20th of Jan 2007 on way to Vietnam. Would love to catch up. Can yousend me a direct e-mail address and when I'm confirmed we can organise a catch up. be well bp

Hallo David
I browse through your website, not only it has lots of beautiful picture here, but also contains lots of information
hope your eyes are ok now

cheers,
cessy

Hi, I am a paramedic student in Canada, I just wanted to let you know that your description of retinal detachment was very enlightneing for me, we touch on a number of pathologies and specialize in none, so if we wish to learn more we need to look it up on our own. Your unfortunate story was very helpful to me, I will treat such symptoms as an emergency.
Thanks,
James