[cheekymonkeysmum]

Hello

I have just been diagnosed with Glaucoma in it's early stages so hopefully i have plenty more years of wonderful eye sight left.

I have been prescribed some glasses so hopefully they will help out a lot. And the optometrist said i have to have a check up every 6-12 months.

So here's my questions is there any mums out in eb land with Glaucoma?

How are you dealing with it?

What effects has it had on your daily life?

Thanks for reading I am just hopping someone can help me out here as i am scared sh*tless and really don't want to loose my eye sight at a young age (well i am 24 bu still)

This post has been edited by luckiestmum: 13/05/2011, 07:10 PM

[cheekymonkeysmum]

ANYONE?????????????????????

[qak]

I haven't got glaucoma but have family history of it, so know I need to get my eye pressure regularly checked.
Are glasses all you were prescribed???
My father has eyedrops for treatment - something to do with reducing the pressure inside the eyes. He has advanced glaucoma and is legally blind as a result (nb he is over 90 as well so it took a long time to get to that stage). He has always worn glasses.
I would be looking into whether just glasses were sufficient treatment because that doesn't sound right to me (nb I have no knowledge, but just logically I can't see how that could work)

[Bloomer]

My grandfather also retained his eyesight well into his 80's when he died he still had sight he was also worried about going blind. I do not know when he was diagnosed but he had drops as well.

This post has been edited by Bloomer: 13/05/2011, 11:29 PM

[cheekymonkeysmum]

Yes just glasses at them moment as i am in the very very early stages of it but i have to go back in 6 months for another check up.
I was also diagnosed with long sighted vision at the same time.

The optometrist also checked my eye pressure (first time i have had that done) and it was ok.

So when i go pick up my glasses (because they are special ones i have to wait a wk for them) i will ask about the eye drops.

As i really have no idea about Glaucoma i was kind of put on the spot and so i trusted my optometrist wen she said i only need glasses for now.

[Allymeg69]

OP, I would be talking to my doctor and obtaining a referral to an opthalmologist (an eye specialist) - optometrists can be very good but for conditions like this, you really should consider getting the advice and management of a specialist doctor.

My family has a similar history to that of some of the PPs, and regular checking of pressure of the eyes and use of drops was something my grandma had to have - reminds me I have not been for a full eye check myself for a while!

good luck

[buttercup-bob]

I have been long sighted my whole life and worn glasses since i was 16 months old. This is more likely why you were prescribed them.

As for the glacouma, my mum was diagonsed with very early stage last year and has been prescribed eye drops to reduce the pressure in her eyes, similar to what PP has mentioned. The opthamologist (sp) which is treating my mum told her that she has more chance of dying from old age than going blind, providing that she keeps taking the eye drops as prescribed and takes measure to reduce her overall blood pressure (in her case, lose a sh*t load of weight).

Have you had the eye ultrasound yet? this will tell you wayyy more detail and IMO you shouldnt have been told to much unless you have the ultrasound.

[cheekymonkeysmum]

I have been long sighted my whole life and worn glasses since i was 16 months old. This is more likely why you were prescribed them.

As for the glacouma, my mum was diagonsed with very early stage last year and has been prescribed eye drops to reduce the pressure in her eyes, similar to what PP has mentioned. The opthamologist (sp) which is treating my mum told her that she has more chance of dying from old age than going blind, providing that she keeps taking the eye drops as prescribed and takes measure to reduce her overall blood pressure (in her case, lose a sh*t load of weight).

Have you had the eye ultrasound yet? this will tell you wayyy more detail and IMO you shouldnt have been told to much unless you have the ultrasound.

Thanks for all your replies

as i said i really know nothing so didn't even know about an ophthalmologist so i guess back to the gp to get a referral.

Also no i haven't had an ultrasound yet how do they go about that? do i have to go to my gp or optometrist or do they do it at the ophthalmologist place?

Thanks again

[qak]

Who told you that you had glaucoma? The usual first symptom is high eye pressure ...

[2-beautiful-boys]

My son was born with Congenital Glaucoma. He started going blind in one eye at 13 weeks and had an operation called a Trabeculectomy(?sp) . His eye sight is good now but he has eye drops every night and frequent visits to his opthamologist. Maybe that operation would be a possibility for you?

I don't know how an optometrist would diagnose glaucoma if your pressures were OK and not sure what glasses are going to do to help with glaucoma which is a build up of fluid in the eye.

I would be asking for referral to an opthamologist if I were you!