Scared

Does it mean being diagnosed in your 50s it’s harder to keep your sight because your relatively young

[Hidden]

I think it partly depends how much damage has already occurred to your optic nerve before you were diagnosed and then once diagnosed how well you respond to treatment. My consultant has been quite aggressive in my treatment as I was diagnosed in my 50s and already had moderate loss of vision in my right eye . He told me he has longer to try to prevent or reduce my vision loss due to my age.

Some people respond well to treatment regardless of age and some do not. Unfortunately it's not an exact science.

How did you get on at opticians, was your eye pressure within the normal range ? Did seeing the optician help you with your fears ! X

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Tnhankyou for that. It helps. At the optician I was disappointed they wouldn’t tell me my pressure but said it wasn’t significantly higher than last time. Wasn’t happy they wouldn’t tell me I just seen a guy who took the pressures and didn’t see optician so none the wiser but he said it fluctuates through the day and nothing to worry about. I have an appointment on the 12th of March with private consultant. How’s you

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I'm surprised they didn't tell you the exact pressure ,knowing the pressure is one of things that can give you a bit of reassurance. The pressure does fluctuate depending on time of day but I don't understand the significance of that and not telling you.I'm glad you have got a private appointment as for me it was the one thing that definitely helped and hopefully it will help you too.

I found it helpful to write down all the questions I wanted answered prior to appointment as my mind completely goes blank once I step inside a hospital .

I'm fine just hoping my eye surgery has worked and I will find out more on Tuesday when I have my next check up.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

It was strange not to tell me but I guess if it was bad they would have sent me to hospital. I’ve had to go private purely because of my anxiety with this. I hope your surgery went well. How you feeling about it x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Sorry I should have said if they had been high they would definitely have sent you to A&E and they obviously don't realise the onus we probably place on knowing our pressure. My optician is very good and has lots of empathy and knows me well, I think that helps. Once you have seen private consultant hopefully you will feel less anxious.

I am feeling ok about surgery, I really have great faith in my surgeon and he has a great success rate so just have to hope for best. I will be scared on Tuesday morning but until then I will just put it to back of my mind. Thanks for asking x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi what do you mean about your consultant not to try and prevent vision loss due to your age or reduce it do you mean it won’t get worse now or there is nothing they can do. Xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I am on strongest combination of drops now and although my pressures fluctuate from 15 to 19, which is within normal range my consultant feels this is too high for me. I have had cataract surgery in both eyes to help with fluid drainage and a trabeculectomy in my right eye. The problem is the damage and vision loss I already had before being diagnosed combined with my relatively young age. My eyes aren't suitable for laser treatment so surgery was his last option for me. From what I can gather the majority of people have their pressures reduced effectively by drops alone,unfortunately I am not one of them. My eyes could get worse but hopefully the surgery will slow the progress down and if I am really lucky stop it.

Everyone is different but you have been diagnosed early which is a big positive .

Damage had been occurring to my eyes for a while and no optician had said anything about it. I also failed a field test years ago and I didn't realise the significance of it at the time. X

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou for your reply. I really hope things work out for you xx

[Wales99 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Hidden me too! I was diagnosed last October just before my 56th birthday. Went for regular eye tests but it was never picked up despite it being in my family & me telling them I was getting blank/greyed out spots in my vision. I now have some sight loss in my right eye - I’m on the maximum drops and my pressure (it’s only in one eye) fluctuates between 20-23. I’m due to have a Trab in June. Everyone is so very different and every consultant has a different treatment plan.

[Hidden in reply to Wales99]

That's awful to hear that you too were going for routine eye tests and glaucoma was not picked up, especially as it's in your family and you had told optician about your vision issues. Unfortunately we need to hope that anything untoward is picked up by optician during the eye test but it obviously isn't always the case.

I was so shocked and started to cry when I was told I had glaucoma as I really I thought I had no problems with my eyesight.

Thank goodness you were finally diagnosed correctly.

Fingers crossed the Trab works well for you and you no longer need any drops.

We are all different and respond differently but a great optician and consultant definitely helps.

All the best .

[Wales99 in reply to Hidden]

Yes I was the same. I’d been having debilitating post-exercise headaches for four years which after various investigations was put down to exertional migraine but I knew it wasn’t. However when he told me in was Glaucoma, like you I was so shocked I nearly fell off the chair! I complained to Specsavers but didn’t really get anywhere. Yes I’m praying that the Trab works. All the best to you too.

[Hidden in reply to Wales99]

Goodness that's even worse your headaches were misdiagnosed too.

You never really expect to be diagnosed with Glaucoma in your 50s but from being on this forum it would seem many people are.

I have heard a few less than favourable stories concerning Specsavers but your complaints should have been investigated .

I use a small independent opticians now and they are so good, great at their job but with loads of empathy too.

The Trab does seem to have a good success rate at least .

[Wales99 in reply to Hidden]

My cousin was diagnosed in her 40’s. A lady I spoke to on the buddy scheme regarding the op was diagnosed in her late 30’s. Although a lot of people I’ve told say “you’re too young to have Glaucoma” 😂. I just hope I can keep the little sight I have left. Take care.

[Hidden in reply to Wales99]

It's weird though as at all my hospital appointments I am the youngest person there by a long way and yet there are clearly many people much younger than myself with Glaucoma.

I had Trab over 2 weeks ago and just hope that it will work for me and that my pressure is down next week at my check up. Yes I just hope to keep sight I have left too.

Take care too.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi how old are you what type of gluacoma do you have xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I am 59 now and was 57 when diagnosed but I was only 51 when I " failed" a field test, the opticians words and was told most people fail first time!!!!

I have open angle glaucoma and take Simbrinza twice a day in left eye and Ganfort at night.My right eye no drops at moment apart from steroid and anti biotic.

How are you feeling about everything now? It's very easy for everyone to tell you not to be scared but not so easy to do. Everyone means well but I've found noone truly understands unless they are in the same position as you are. I just hope once you have seen the private consultant you will know more and it might give you an element of peace.

Take care Julie x

[Wales99 in reply to Hidden]

It’s a mixed bag with mine some are a similar age & some older. Although i am very lucky in that I’m private as I have cover through work. Also my consultant treats other eye conditions so they may not all have Glaucoma! I really hope your op works for you too. I’m sure it will- there is a very high success rate. Not looking forward to mine but hopefully it’s a means to an end. How are you finding putting the drops in (antibiotic & steroid) it’s quite intense I believe? Not looking forward to that bit but again, a necessary evil.

[Hidden in reply to Wales99]

I went private initially as NHS waiting list was wa too long and I had actually had 2 cataract ops in an attempt to improve eye drainage and was on eye drops before my first NHS appt. I disliked the consultant she was very brusque answered no questions and took the fact I had gone private as a personal affront so I carried on being private and NHS. The second NHS consultant was great he knew my private consultant and referred me to him on NHS. It's excellent you are able to be seen privately through your job.

The eye drop regime isn't as rigorous for me as the two more elderly patients. I'm taking mine once every four hours they were every hour !!! Luckily there is nowhere to go or nothing to do now so I just fit dog walks around drops !!! I am however rubbish at putting them in it's as if I have just forgotten how to do it. I'm fine with Simbrinza and Ganfort in left eye but right eye clueless.

I'm hoping pressure is down at next week's check up as was 24 this week but with massage consultant got it down to 8. I'm massaging own eye and fingers crossed it works.

It's all as you say an necessary evil and for me it's the inactivity as I usually walk about 10 to 15 miles a day with my dog and workout too. My dog pulls at times so though I can still walk with her someone else has to have her lead and no working out at all. I can't lift anything heavy, bend over etc so I am watching a lot more TV than ever but I'm willing to do anything to stop vision loss.

[Wales99 in reply to Hidden]

😊. Yes in some ways lockdown does make things easier. I know what you mean though - I’m usually a regular gym goer. I have been walking a lot more. I’m not keen on running outside but I’ve invested in a treadmill. Well hopefully I won’t have to put drops in every hour either. I’m still working & have pre-warned my manager that I will need at least 2 weeks off. Have they told you how long it is before you can exercise fully again? I hope your pressures are down too. Good luck with your appointment.

[Hidden in reply to Wales99]

No gyms near me I use you tube for my workouts 😊. I used to use treadmill in my working life as there was an onsite gym but I have always preferred walking.

I've been told no exercise for 4 weeks apart from walking. No heavy lifting ,bending over etc for same length of time.

I am guessing with your age you may well be on 4 hourly intervals with your drops too. I was on 3 drops initially but the third was only for 3 weeks, it made my pupil huge , easier for eye examination I suppose. Great look one huge pupil and swollen half closed eye !!!! Swelling is now mostly gone and eye lid not drooping as much so with luck it's all going in right direction . Yeah you will definitely need at least 2 weeks off. My eye was very irritated ,watery and vision pretty blurred for first 10 days or so. I was taking paracetamol as my eye was so itchy. I felt not quite myself for first week , possibly as I was so obsessed with doing everything correctly. This last week I'm much more me.

[Wales99 in reply to Hidden]

I’m glad you are recovering well. Don’t like the idea of swollen eye & droopy eyelid but I am aware that can happen. Yes hopefully four-hourly. I can cope with no exercise for 4 weeks except walking. Doubt I will feel like doing anything anyway! Good luck with your recovery. Hope your appointment goes OK.

[Jennymary]

Hi Julie, try not to worry about what the pressures were, if they'd been on the high side they'd have either asked you go back for a recheck, or sent you to A & E, as they've done neither there's no cause for concern

[Hidden in reply to Jennymary]

Thankyou I did think that it was just I was surprised they just didn’t say x

[Traveller66]

I don’t think this is the case- during my many years of appointments I was never given this impression. I was diagnosed at 50 and I still have good vision 17 years later- if you keep yr pressures under control and keep up regular appointments and testing you should be fine- initially my regular optometrist discovered my pressures had risen so he referred me to an ophthalmologist who specializes in treating glaucoma - I am in Canada so not sure how treatment works in the UK- but in Canada an optician is a practitioner who assesses vision and prescribes glasses or contact lenses- maybe in the UK it is equivalent to an optometrist- :)Anyway every person is unique- don’t do too much internet research, talk to your doctor about your concerns .

All the very best !

[Hidden in reply to Traveller66]

Thankyou for putting my mind at rest. Our opticians are the same in the U.K. so I have s as n appointment with an Opthamology doctor on 12th March. I’m overthinking the worst and that’s not good. I’ll try to stay off the internet Thankyou again x

[Minety]

I was diagnosed in my 50's with damage to my right eye, I am now in my 70th year, and have just passed my DVLA eyesight test. My advice is to keep on top of your appointments, don't wait to be contacted but be proactive. Also, take your meds as prescribed. I take Ganfort once per day and Dorzolomide twice per day which can be a little hard to keep track of sometimes so I keep a tick sheet by the side of my bed Please be assured that many of us live with Glaucoma with very little impact on our lives.

Finally, please pass the word! Make sure your family is aware so they have regular check-ups. In my humble opinion, one of the biggest problems with the disease is the unknown.

[Hidden in reply to Minety]

Thankyou for such a lovely message. I’m on Lantanprost once a night and have never forgot the meds. I have two sons 30 and 28 the oldest has been for his test but still waiting for the youngest. I have my first appointment on the 12th March since being diagnosed so very scared. Yours is a very positive story. Keep in touch and Thankyou again xx