Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Chris Pronger addressed the media on Thursday about not only his eye injury but his career-threatening concussion that has kept him sidelined since November 2011.
The 38-year-old told the media that he still suffers from concussion symptoms but is not ready to retire just yet.
"I need to continue to get healthy, to rehab, to go to my eye appointments, doctor appointments," Pronger said. "Once I continue to get healthy we'll see where we're at. It may or may not go away."
If Pronger is to return to the NHL, it seems like it would be a long way off given his condition.
"Not in the near future," Pronger said. "I don't think we're there yet."
Pronger also stated that his eye injury on top of the concussion has made his situation different than that of Keith Primeau and Sidney Crosby.
"I never said my vision won't get better; I said my direct vision won't get better. There's glasses, contacts. I've never heard of anyone's eyes getting better with glasses.
"Direct vision is not as much of an issue as peripheral vision. It was good before, now I don't really have one. You know where everyone is on the ice so you don't get hit, so it's troublesome."
Pronger also spoke about how he needs to "get better for my family" and how he gets tired more easily and still has issues with memory sometimes. He even addressed being depressed about his situation.
"The biggest thing is the depression, how dark you get and how you go down."
Should Pronger never return to the National Hockey League, he seems at peace.
"I have no regrets. I played to the best of my ability; I played to win and was fortunate enough to win a Stanley Cup and played on a few good teams that got there.
"I don't have any regrets. I'm not going to look back and say 'Geez, I wish I did this and that.' I have nothing to prove."
