Question:
My father was recently assaulted resulting in a detached retina and several fractures (maxillary, nasal). The eye basically exploded with the impact; there was no eye pressure. He obviously has lost vision to this eye. He is a very high risk for surgery and has opted to leave the eye in place. My question is, I realize that our bodies produce antibodies to the affected eye and may start to reject the good eye. If this starts to happen can it be stopped with removal of the initial bad eye or once rejection starts is it too late?
Answer:
The rejection to which you refer, sympathetic ophthalmia, while being potentially very serious, is fortunately exceedingly rare. It is an inflammatory response triggered by injury or surgery on one eye that can lead to damage in the other eye. Treatment involves suppressing the body's immune system, usually with steroid pills. If your father's eye is not painful or unsightly, there is really no reason to remove it. What is more important now than ever before is that he wear proper eye protection, particularly when engaging in activities in which injuries can take place (see this Web site for more information on preventing traumatic eye injuries). Also important is regular follow up with his ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.) to monitor his injured eye and to preserve the health of his remaining eye.
Have a question that hasn't been answered yet?
Ask it! 
Answered by:
