is this right
Question:
>(EyeGuyRC) wrote >I need to echo some of the things that other posters have said here….1) we >need to know your age.
49 >2) You need to find out >the appearance of your optic nerve in the back of the eye.
she knew something was wrong before she even measured the pressure. so i take it there was a noticeable difference in the optic nerve. she could tell by looking in my eyes that i had something wrong. >4) A 2-point reduction in IOP is not a terribly impressive response to a >medication…what are you using?
Alphagan twice a day. perhaps i am doing it wrong. put drops in eyes what could i do wrong there? this whole thing has jumped out at me suddenly and i am afraid it is moving so fast i haven’t had time to think. i am beginning to think i should cancel the laser surgery which she told me would be an office procedure and not a big deal. she also told me that it didn’t always work. it would probably be 6 weeks before i would know if it worked. as for the vision tests, not to bad, i took to mean that there was some minimal vision lose. she acted like even if the laser surgery didn’t work there would be no damage to my eyes. am i wrong in thinking this? i really didn’t know there was so much to glaucoma. i thought you got it, you put drops in your eyes and that was it. never did i realize that there were different kinds or that maybe drops wouldn’t work. boy, you used to go to the doctor and do what ever they said, i guess that wasn’t good but, perhaps this is worse because now i am in a don’t know what to do mode. i thank you all so much for your response. teresa
Response:
Teresa wrote: > my pressure was 26 with drops >down to 24. had vision tests they said they weren’t bad. at my last visit >with a pressure of 24 the dr. said she wanted to do laser surgery.<
First, I agree completely with cincodedas who recommended a second opinion. Second, it would help to have "not bad vision tests" defined–was there evidence of damage or abnormality? Third, there was obviously no response from the prescribed drops…I wonder what drug was used. Unless there is "more than meets the eye" here, and with only moderately high pressures, it would appear that Teresa may be needlessly frightened. She is wise in seeking further counsel from her current doctor or other sources. (Not a professional response)
Response:
In article <1998090117165500.NAA24…@ladder01.news.aol.com>, tessc…@aol.com (Tesscamp) wrote: > hi, just found this newsgroup, so i haven’t had time to read all messages. i > am in need of some info. fairly soon. several months ago i discovered i had > glaucoma. i could go on and on about the shock and whatever but i guess > everyone pretty much knows what that is like. > snip > teresa (tessc…@aol.com)
Teresa, I hope you will heed the advice of posters here and continue to read all you can about glaucoma and specially talk to experienced patients as you can in this ng. Keep in mind each writer probably represents many more who did not contribute. I have been treated for open angle glaucoma for 25 years. My mother and sister have glaucoma so we represent a lot of years of dealing with it. I am 70 yrs old. In no instance did I or my relatives require emergency action for treatment. It is a slow progressing ailment. You have time to make informed decisions, please do. Good luck, Bill Wielert — Bill —–== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==—– http://www.dejanews.com/rg_mkgrp.xp Create Your Own Free Member Forum
Response:
Teresa, An old proverb says "Take every emergency leisurely." Don’t feel pressured to rush right out and do something tomorrow. The problem may have existed for years or at least months before you found it, so there should be no great rush. If you have questions about the procedure, discuss them with your doctor. If you have questions about the doctor, get a second opinion. If you feel it would help to investigate on your own, read up on glaucoma — look back in the archives at Deja news and you’ll find numerous references to FAQs (frequently asked questions). there areit. And after you have a better grip on it, chart a course for yourself and stick to it. In my own case, I tend to rely on my ophthalmologist for guidance in these matters. And good luck! Don Singleton – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Tesscamp wrote: > >(EyeGuyRC) wrote > >I need to echo some of the things that other posters have said here….1) we > >need to know your age. > 49 > >2) You need to find out > >the appearance of your optic nerve in the back of the eye. > she knew something was wrong before she even measured the pressure. so i take > it there was a noticeable difference in the optic nerve. > she could tell by looking in my eyes that i had something wrong. > >4) A 2-point reduction in IOP is not a terribly impressive response to a > >medication…what are you using? > Alphagan twice a day. perhaps i am doing it wrong. put drops in eyes what > could i do wrong there? > this whole thing has jumped out at me suddenly and i am afraid it is moving so > fast i haven’t had time to think. i am beginning to think i should cancel the > laser surgery which she told me would be an office procedure and not a big > deal. she also told me that it didn’t always work. it would probably be 6 > weeks before i would know if it worked. as for the vision tests, not to bad, i > took to mean that there was some minimal vision lose. she acted like even if > the laser surgery didn’t work there would be no damage to my eyes. am i wrong > in thinking this? i really didn’t know there was so much to glaucoma. i > thought you got it, you put drops in your eyes and that was it. never did i > realize that there were different kinds or that maybe drops wouldn’t work. > boy, you used to go to the doctor and do what ever they said, i guess that > wasn’t good but, perhaps this is worse because now i am in a don’t know what > to do mode. > i thank you all so much for your response. > teresa
Response:
On 1 Sep 1998 17:16:55 GMT, tessc…@aol.com (Tesscamp) wrote: >hi, just found this newsgroup, so i haven’t had time to read all messages. i >am in need of some info. fairly soon. several months ago i discovered i had >glaucoma. i could go on and on about the shock and whatever but i guess >everyone pretty much knows what that is like. my pressure was 26 with drops >down to 24. had vision tests they said they weren’t bad.
What does *that* mean? Did they show up *any* visual defects? >at my last visit >with a pressure of 24 the dr. said she wanted to do laser surgery.
What kind of glaucoma did she say you had, and what did she say established that you had such? What kind of laser surgery did she want to do? >i was kinda >of shocked thinking it is a little early in the treatment to be doing laser >surgery! she told me recent studies have shown that doing laser surgery >earlier levels off the pressure and there is a better outcome.
Go get clinical journal abstracts on this subject yourself, from Medline on the Web, take them to a medical library and read the respective journal articles (most are not difficult), and check yourself what the evidence for this is in respect to exactly what kind of glaucoma you have and the pressures you have. >she wants me to >have this done in a week.
You probably ought to seek a different MD or lay off all of them for awhile, while you do some reading. Can you really believe you suddenly have an emergency because this woman did a quick test on you after doing some quick, superficial (self-interested) reading? >i really am uncertain. has anyone ever heard of >this.
The UK is hot on surgery first for some glaucoma, or I guess also for some expected glaucoma. >i am really not sure what my concerns are. it is just, i thought a >little early in the treatment when i have only tried one medication. she >tells me we want it lower than 24.
Do some reading and figure out how low *you* want it. >it is an office procedure which takes only >a few minutes with no restrictions afterwards.
Is it laser iridotomy? >i want to save my eye sight >and want to do the right thing so…………………… any coments,
How about being the right stuff. >articles, or suggestions would be appreciated?
Answers to the above are needed first. Ray (not an eye care wizard or eager-beaver)
Response:
On 2 Sep 1998 03:48:25 GMT, tessc…@aol.com (Tesscamp) wrote: ……….. >she acted like even if >the laser surgery didn’t work there would be no damage to my eyes. am i wrong >in thinking this?
If the procedure is as simple as you indicate, I assume it is laser iridotomy. It doesn’t create any condition liable to cause future problems, but it *does* cut down some on the given eye’s range of light-level adaptation, because it bypasses, to a limited degree, the action of your iris in that eye in stopping off excessive light. You are thereafter not able to see quite as much contrast in the lasered eye in bright situations as before. ………..
Ray
Response:
hi, just found this newsgroup, so i haven’t had time to read all messages. i am in need of some info. fairly soon. several months ago i discovered i had glaucoma. i could go on and on about the shock and whatever but i guess everyone pretty much knows what that is like. my pressure was 26 with drops down to 24. had vision tests they said they weren’t bad. at my last visit with a pressure of 24 the dr. said she wanted to do laser surgery. i was kinda of shocked thinking it is a little early in the treatment to be doing laser surgery! she told me recent studies have shown that doing laser surgery earlier levels off the pressure and there is a better outcome. she wants me to have this done in a week. i really am uncertain. has anyone ever heard of this. i am really not sure what my concerns are. it is just, i thought a little early in the treatment when i have only tried one medication. she tells me we want it lower than 24. it is an office procedure which takes only a few minutes with no restrictions afterwards. i want to save my eye sight and want to do the right thing so…………………… any coments, articles, or suggestions would be appreciated? thanks teresa (tessc…@aol.com)
Response:
On Thu, 03 Sep 1998 22:39:16 GMT, wiel…@compuserve.com wrote: ………… >It is a slow progressing ailment. You have >time to make informed decisions, please do.
Well, some is. . .and a very small amount isn’t; but she doesn’t present any indication of something that would flag the latter. Ray
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Tesscamp wrote: > hi, just found this newsgroup, so i haven’t had time to read all > messages. i > am in need of some info. fairly soon. several months ago i discovered > i had > glaucoma. i could go on and on about the shock and whatever but i > guess > everyone pretty much knows what that is like. my pressure was 26 with > drops > down to 24. had vision tests they said they weren’t bad. at my last > visit > with a pressure of 24 the dr. said she wanted to do laser surgery. i > was kinda > of shocked thinking it is a little early in the treatment to be doing > laser > surgery! she told me recent studies have shown that doing laser > surgery > earlier levels off the pressure and there is a better outcome. she > wants me to > have this done in a week. i really am uncertain. has anyone ever > heard of > this. i am really not sure what my concerns are. it is just, i > thought a > little early in the treatment when i have only tried one medication. > she > tells me we want it lower than 24. it is an office procedure which > takes only > a few minutes with no restrictions afterwards. i want to save my > eye sight > and want to do the right thing so…………………… any coments, > articles, or suggestions would be appreciated? thanks > teresa (tessc…@aol.com)
I have glaucoma and my doctor has said me that laser sugery for open angle glaucoma has only successfuly results if you a are a old, but there are doctors than love his lasers and the money. I suggest to you that you must take a second doctor opinion.
Response:
Always good to question what your doctor tells you…just ask Ray! It is NOT true that ALT is just a "benign office procedure" with no potential complications. Your IOP may become elevated afterward. Also, scar tissue that forms as a result may lead to partial closing off of the angle (the "drain"). Don’t rush into anything. Glaucoma is usually a slow acting process. While Ray and I frequently butt heads, I have to say, he gives you good advice here regarding getting yourself informed. If you don’t feel up to following Ray’s advice (getting the journal articles about ALT), at least read the ABSTRACTS of medline articles, which can be done right from your computer. You can find free access to medline at www.healthgate.com and search for laser trabeculoplasty. You will find dozens of abstracts to read. What you will also find is that ALT provides a TEMPORARY reduction in IOP almost universally–reductions seldom last more than 5-10 years. Most importantly…don’t panic. Relax, read up, and get a second opinion! Good luck! Rick Cohn, MD glaucoma specialist
Response:
On 3 Sep 1998 02:40:06 GMT, eyegu…@aol.com (EyeGuyRC) wrote: >Always good to question what your doctor tells you…just ask Ray!
I’m glad you’re paying attention. ;-) But since you already have "30 years" of schooling, I’m not going to give you credit for any more, due to attending my seminar. ;-) >It is NOT >true that ALT is just a "benign office procedure" with no potential >complications. Your IOP may become elevated afterward. Also, scar tissue that >forms as a result may lead to partial closing off of the angle (the "drain"). > Don’t rush into anything. Glaucoma is usually a slow acting process. While >Ray and I frequently butt heads, I have to say, he gives you good advice here >regarding getting yourself informed. If you don’t feel up to following Ray’s >advice (getting the journal articles about ALT), at least read the ABSTRACTS of >medline articles, which can be done right from your computer. You can find >free access to medline at www.healthgate.com and search for laser >trabeculoplasty. You will find dozens of abstracts to read. What you will >also find is that ALT provides a TEMPORARY reduction in IOP almost >universally–reductions seldom last more than 5-10 years. Most >importantly…don’t panic. Relax, read up, and get a second opinion! Good >luck!
So maybe she is referring to ALT. I wouldn’t've thought that would’ve been tossed off so lightly. Ray
Response:
I need to echo some of the things that other posters have said here….1) we need to know your age. Argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT) is of limited use in younger patients unless they have pigmentary glaucoma. 2) You need to find out the appearance of your optic nerve in the back of the eye. If your optic nerve appears healthy, than a pressure of 24 is usually fine and dandy (despite "normal" as being defined as under 21). Plenty of people walk around with somewhat elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) but can be safely followed without laser or surgical procedures. Can you get any more precise info regarding your visual field test? Does it show any field loss, or is it fully intact? 3) I would DEFINITELY get a second opinion before having the laser done. 4) A 2-point reduction in IOP is not a terribly impressive response to a medication…what are you using? If your ophth. were particularly about your IOP, then he/she should try a different medication first. Goodluck to you…if you have any further questions, feel free to e-mail me at eyegu…@aol.com. Rick Cohn, MD glaucoma specialist
Response:
Related Posts
- needling of the bleb
- normal pressure??
- Atropine for too low a pressure
- Timoptic XE
- Glaucome
- Dr. Cohn ... Seeking best opthalmologists in Dayton. Ohio area?
- Myopia seems to fluctuate
- Query - Treatment Options
- Visual Field Test??
- Glaucoma Suspects