Closed Office

One thing that happens if you are in an accident that stops the bike suddenly. Your legs get brushed up as you drift over the handlebars. This starts your body rotating and you have a really good chance of landing on your head.

I was wearing a helmet but my eyebrow knocked a chunk of concrete out of the curb. Got home and had a jagged line and debris in my field of vision.

Detached retina I assumed. Spent 6 hours over the last 2 days getting appointments and bicycling to them. A fair amount of that was waiting time in the doctor's and specialist offices. (Canadian health care, so fortunately it didn't cost a bundle, just time.)

Fortunately they couldn't see any damage, so it doesn't look like a detached retina, but I have to return in 6 weeks to make sure.

But I do have a couple of lines and all kinds of debris in my field of vision. Mostly it isn't too bad and I don't even notice it unless I'm in front of a computer screen, or a light background. Guess the brain can compensate and I'll get used to it.

Quite grateful it wasn't more serious.

BlazingPedals

"Debris" or 'floaties' are a sign of retinal bleeding. You'll need check-ups for a while, but often they clear up by themselves. If not, someone will have to figure out where it's coming from and do some laser surgery to cauterize it.

fastcrow

Wicked. I've gotten in many bike wrecks, never wear a helmet, head to pavement. Biked home with a concussion once, dont remember any of it, passed right out. You got balls man, goin so fast like that. Lucky you have free healthcare. I wouldn't worry about it too much though, so long as you're not freaking out over it and can still enjoy your daily ride.

Camilo

So what did the docs say about this phenomenon? Or are you asking for advice from us (and why would you?).

mercator

I had surgery for detached retinas (congenital) and have far more experience than I would have liked with the local ophthalmology practitioners. There are some seriously careless doctors in this town and I would recommend you get a second opinion as soon as you can. PM me if you want some names.

urbanlegend

well, it's not exactly free. our tax rates are pretty high. second only to france, iirc.

Closed Office

That pretty much summed up the medical opinions, doesn't look like anything serious so far. Nope, not asking for medical advice. (shudder)

PM on it's way in a minute. Thanks for the offer.

fastcrow

Forget that stuff, man.

Crank Turner

The optometrist didn't do anything? No irrigation, drops, nothing? I would certainly have had to get a second opinion.

The fact that you have had vision impairment AND they can't see it is indicative of vitreous hemorrhaging, which can cause blindness. Of course they wouldn't see it unless it was subconjunctival, which is the kind that you wait a month on since it's usually harmless.

Quite honestly, I would not have accepted such sub-standard service. Nor would I just put it off. Your vision is not something to be taken lightly. Your brain may ignore blind-spots but I can assure you they're there.

There's no harm in getting a prompt second opinion and finding nothing wrong. The alternative of course is waiting until it's too late.

Remember that your optometrist has less to lose than you do if he's wrong.

Metzinger

ydrc (you don't recall correctly)

Machka 

Canadian tax rates aren't very high at all. Not much higher than those of the US.




And according to this site: https://www.worldwide-tax.com/ Canadian Income Tax ranges from 15% to 29% and US Income Tax ranges from 15% to 35% ........ hmmmm, sounds to me like US Income Tax could be more than Canadian Income Tax.



Anyway, OP ... have you gone for a CT scan?

Crank Turner

You're right about the CT. That's not a bad idea.

Do those figures include VAT?

According to the site, as of May 27, 2010:


Canada Corporate: 19.5%(federal) Individual: 15-29%(Federal) VAT:5%(gst)U.S.A. Corporate: 15-35% Individual: 15-35% VAT:None

Canada may or may not have a lower tax rate. It's tough to tell due to the wide range of percentages shown. They do have a VAT which the US does not have though.

I would include AUS for your reference but it says AUS is currently not ready so it may not be entirely accurate.

The other posters were right about Canada's HC system not being free. It's technically incorrect and an invitation for correction.
Nothing is free except for the air and sun, after all.

Bikealou

Back to OP question. Several years ago I tested the air bags in my truck against a telephone pole. A kindly old lady helped out by doing a U-turn into my passenger side door. The air bags worked well - i walked away from the totaled truck a bit dazed with a scrape on my forearm from the air bag cover.

A week or so later I developed blurred vision in one eye. Turned out to be viscous detachment. The aqueous humor in that eye pulled away from the retina. The retina stayed attached. Could not prove a direct connection to the accident as viscous detachment is a normal result of the aging process - especially in myopic individuals like me.

Received no treatment other than close monitoring to make sure the retina did not detach as well. The spots and blurs drove me crazy for a while. I canceled out of a charity ride that year because exercise would make the spots move and become more noticeable. My doctor and I decided laying off the bike for a while was prudent. In retrospect, I don't think it was necessary.

Eventually and gradually over a year or so, I became used to the blurs and/or they settled out of my field of vision. Now - 8 years later - I have to "look" for them to see them. Yeah, they're still there - I just looked at the white background on my monitor and can see them. I understand there is a laser treatment that can destroy the spots - at the risk of creating many smaller spots where there used to be several. I didn't pursue that option. The one warning sign the doctors warmed me to look for was flashes in the eye - that's the eyes indication of pain and possible detachment of the retina. I would see some flashes when I got up in the middle of the night - they have definitely gone away shortly after.

Disclaimer - I'm not a doctor. This is my first hand experience of a possible similar trauma. Good luck on your recovery.

Closed Office

Actually I was surprised at the amount of useful info from this thread. Thanks to mercator for some of the info he pmed, and to everyone else who chipped in.

I also picked up a bit more info when I bought my new helmet. The paperwork mentioned wearing it level, not up on your forehead, and I hadn't been paying attention to that. Just about 5/8th of an inch above the eyebrow. It might have saved a bit more of the damage that way. Btw it's a really nice hard shell, over 500 grams. I don't like the wimpy light ones made for racers where every gram counts.

I expect they are as safe, but I always get the lightweight shell cracked of chipped from minor dings.

Our income tax rates aren't high, but overall taxes are really high. This would include property taxes and the GST (goods and services tax, like vat, but might be a Canadian invention.) The gov gets 7% (or so) of everything spent on goods. Considering that the company producing them might only be making 1 or 2 percent profit, the gov is getting more without producing a thing.

On total I believe close to 50% of our income goes to taxes. Tax freedom day was in june this year, I think. I don't pay a lot of attention to that though.

Machka 

GST is not a Canadian invention ... or at least it isn't exclusive to Canada. Canada's GST is down to 5% now. Australia's GST is still at 10%.


And yes, you're supposed to wear your helmet level.

Grim

No such thing.
Learn economics because statements like that make you look uneducated or clueless. It is government provided health care that you pay dearly for in the form of taxes on EVERYTHING.

Machka 

But it comes down to how you would prefer to pay for medical care.

In one year recently I had a CT scan, an invasive MRI, an X-ray, numerous Dr visits, and about a dozen physiotherapist visits. I paid $0 out of pocket.

That same year I earned approximately $20,000 which would be about 15% tax = about $3000 tax (plus the 5% GST I was paying on goods I bought, and if I spent the whole approximate $20,000, that would be about $1000). But I was a student at the time, which was why my income was so low, and in Canada, what you pay out in education fees (tuition, books, etc.) can be claimed as a deduction on income tax, so I ended up with a return of about $2000. All up, I would have paid out about $2000 in tax.

That $2000 wouldn't just go toward health care, it would go toward other aspects involved in running a country as well. Even if a quarter of it when to health care, that's only $500 for the CT scan, invasive MRI, X-ray, numerous Dr visits, and about a dozen physiotherapist visits. I figure that's not bad. In fact the more medical services I used, the better the price per service got!!

Personally I would rather pay what might possibly be a slightly higher tax and be able to go to the Dr any time I want, and have a series of tests ordered, and go to follow-up visits, etc. all without dipping my hand into my pocket at all. I feel much more comfortable with that system.

Kimmitt 

Please take this to whatever forum a grownup would understand to be appropriate -- RedState or whatever. It was a throwaway line celebrating his good fortune for being insured against accident.

OP -- sounds like you're getting good advice in general. Please do remember that your internal shock absorbers for your brain are likely also damaged and will require 6-8 weeks to heal up. So minor injuries to your noggin are a way bigger deal for a while.

Kimmitt 

Can we please not discuss health care here? As an economist working the field, it is enormously stressful for me to hear more conservative BS on the subject after they were so successful in canning both single-payer and the Public Option. I don't get off on people being bankrupted by unnecessary medical costs, so I'm worn out. Thank you.