BARRIE'S STORY - An acoustic Neuroma patient

8. TARSORRHAPHY

During May 2002, I caught an infection in my eye, probably when I went to a cricket match. This lead to my ophthalmic surgeon recommending I have a Tarsorrhaphy (closure of the eye in order to protect it).

I had the Tarsorrhaphy done quite quickly after the decision to close my eye was made. I went into the procedure with no real idea what I was letting myself in for. It was done one evening and I stayed one night in the hospital. When my turn came a nurse arrived in my room and said I had to walk to the operating theatre, but I couldn't walk without a stick! So I had to lean on her and shuffle my way to the Operating Theatre. When I arrived I had to climb onto the operating table and the procedure was undertaken while I was fully conscious. As others before me have reported, this is probably a worse experience than the main Acoustic Neuroma operation, since at least with the main operation you are unconscious. A nurse held my hand and my left eye was covered with a cloth. I was given a local anaesthetic to my right eye then my eyelids were sewn together with stitches. I was conscious through out and listened to the surgeon and one of the nurses having a discussion about some missing stitches! The procedure was over in about 20 minutes and I was taken back to my room in a wheel-chair. The nurse who pushed me back to my room had no idea which of the rooms was mine, luckily I could remember.

I had a black eye for several weeks following this nasty little operation. The Tarsorrhaphy set back my rate of improvement in my balance and 18 months after my main operation I still feel that progress in this respect has been hampered.

I have a friend who recently unfortunately lost the sight in one of his eyes. He had a short-term problem but with his inner-ears still in tact, he was easily able to compensate for the lost eye. In the case of an Acoustic Neuroma patient the situation is far more complex. We have the loss of the balance system on the affected side and combined with other problems such as ataxia; the affect of a 'lost' eye is far more devastating, although we have the expectation that eventually we will have our sight back.

Three weeks after the Tarsorrhaphy, my surgeon took the stitches out. I finally realised what had been done, my eyelids had by then grown together and no longer needed the stitches to keep them closed. The implication is that when my eye is opened a scalpel will be needed to cut through the join.

When the stitches were taken out my surgeon told me I could start driving again. Apparently I had had some double vision before the Tarsorrhaphy and with my eye closed this was eliminated so I could drive again. I did not feel I could drive because at the time my head was still feeling 'woolly' and moving my head was still slow and limited. I therefore resolved not to drive until my eye was opened and my other problems had considerably improved. This comment seemed to me to be typical of the lack of coordination between the specialists treating the different problems a patient suffers. It is unclear to me even now whether an Acoustic Neuroma patient needs to report their condition to the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in the UK). I have delayed reporting my state until September 2003 since I have not been driving, but I am now considering driving again.

I have contacted The Road Research Centre at Crowthorne, Berkshire and have applied for a driving assessment course. This is designed for people returning to driving and includes an assessment of a driver's reaction times as well as traffic handling etc. I will not start driving again until I have completed this course.