On Tuesday I had surgery to repair a torn Retina in my right eye. I dont mind shooting left handed but my question is does anyone have any experience with shooting a firearm a week or 2 past surgery. I am planning of shooting either my 22/6mm or my 6.5 creedmore. neither of them kick much. My dr is not a hunter and my daughter is coming to the ranch for Thanksgiving. Generally we hunt together however I am just looking for some practical experience with this sort of thing.

I think I would hold off if I were you. It isn’t just the matter of recoil. What is your plan if you harvest an animal? Most retinal surgery includes some type of activity restriction post-surgery. Heavy lifting is restricted because the straining involved can increase intraocular pressure, potentially damaging the surgical repair. I recommend getting all of the weekend plans cleared with your doctor before committing to the hunt. He/she may not even want you to lift a cooler.

Tex Buckeye is an eye surgeon and Im sure will have an opinion. He’s on here pretty regular but you could pm him-hes the type to gladly help.

Phantom, pm me or feel free to discuss publicly.

Need to know what type of treatment you had, actual surgery, laser air bubble, etc…

Helps would be who did the work, but not necessary.

Check with your Dr. He would know. This needs addressed with a professional not arm chair doctors.

I personally wouldn’t chance it.

Just wear a pair of glasses

Lol you guys crack me up…i am an eye surgeon. I can answer the question so that is why i asked him to PM me
Or answer the questions publicly.

He said his retina doc is not a hunter, so cant answer the questions specifically.

I would not risk it. I spent a year with one eye (a patch over the other), and you really don’t want to risk an eye.

I would say no, but only because I had laser surgery and a vitrectomy for a partial retinal detachment. I remember being instructed not to do certain things while the gas bubble was dissolving. I’d lean towards overly safe activity when it comes to preserving my vision.

Agree with your course of action based on the treatment GNTX, if there is a partial detachment and air bubble i would take it easy and not shoot. Going out and being there wont hurt anything unless he is supposed to be more face down due tot ye location of the tear. Details matter and he has given none, so i cant even give a solid rec at this point.

For a minor peripheral tear with surrounding laser, after two weeks that tear is considered pretty plastered down and activity levels can resume to normal. For larger tears, the time increases. For air bubbles i would wait for it to go away before doing much high intensity activity, and for someone who had a vitrectomy it adds a little. Its all repative to the original insult and treatment..

A .222, .223 and a host of other similar sized cartridges with a silencer have negligible recoil and no perceivable concussion to me at least. That's with bolt guns that don't have a lot of gasses escaping from the action.

Let your daughter sit in the driver's seat this year. Just being with her should satisfy you this year. I haven't fired a shot yet and have been on two fantastic hunts.

Agree, dont chance it.

I'm no eye surgeon but I did sleep in a Motel-6 last night

I push the limit on most stuff-assuming I can get outa trouble with a run, jump, or a sledge hammer.
But when it comes to the intricacies of the eye, brain, heart etc I’m not pushing it.
No clue what my margin of error would be so I’m staying under the covers till the all clear.

Update

Two days post surgery my retina seperated. I go in for much more indepth surgery. My season is over I guess. Heres to hoping I get my vision back

Oh man, deer will always be there. Best wishes for a complete recovery.

Really sorry to hear that, but as Jimbo said, the deer will be there next season.

thanks I now have to live vicariously through you guys. My daughter brother and his kids have come to the ranch for thanksgiving so I hope they will have success. I get a lot of joy just growing the deer.

Phantom, the process of shooting is what is not recommended, but you can still "go" hunting with someone else and just sit and enjoy the time together.

Nothing about hunting is any worse than driving in the metro or going up or down a flight of stairs.

Only caveat to this is if your macula was off and you are required to be face down for a week or two....then you are SOL....

I had the same issue 2 years ago, DR was very adiment to not shoot for six weeks after procedure.