Hi everyone as you all know I had SLT last Tuesday and all went well and you all supported me with your lovely messages. Well over the weekend I felt my eye was getting blurry and was getting worried. Today I came home from work early has it did get really blurry and as most of you know I worry all the time. So anyway my partner takes me to hospital. I had to do an eye test which I thought I really mucked up on and also have my pressures checked. That was by a nurse. Then gets called to see a young lady consultant and she was lovely. Have you been taking your dry eye drops well I actually havnt I said I’m sorry. She was lovely and said that’s what you’ve got dry eye nothing else wrong your gluacoma is the same. She also took my pressures in the eye I had laser in it’s gone down to 19 in just under a week she was happy I was happy. The other eye had pressures of 23/24 but again she wasn’t worried. Note to myself I must take Dry Eye Drops. I must take Dry Eye Drops. I really didn’t think it could cause this much Bluriness. Anyone else had lots of blurriness with Dry Eye. I bet just me because I don’t always take them. Guess what I really must take My Dry Eye Drops. Hope everyone is well xx
I must take Dry Eye Drops : Hi everyone as you... - Glaucoma UK
I must take Dry Eye Drops
Bless you Julie that did make me smile. I’d be exactly the same. I think dry eye can be a lot more bothersome than you’d think. I use dry eye drops 2-3 times a day & always at night b4 I go to sleep.
Hi Thankyou I’m definitely going to be more proactive in using them. Hope your ok and had a lovely weekend x
Yes, both my eyes, especially the left whee I have no vision, get really dry especially in work where its all on the computer, but dry eye drops through the day, keep them going, dry eye is nothing serious, and certainly nothing to worry about, you may find it useful to wear sunglasses as sunlight dries them out, I go out wearing baseball cap and sunnies 😎
Thankyou Jenny Mary I didn’t realise it could make your eyes so blurry. I am a massive wearer of sunglasses just a few more things I need to improve on Thankyou again for messaging x
Hello Julie. Glad the laser went well. Yes, use the dry eye drops as often as you need too. it won't do any harm as it just hydrates and lubricates the eye. Also, if youre on the computer or reading for a long period of time, remember to blink. I know that sounds crazy but when we concentrate we forget to blink. Have a comfort break every twenty minutes and look at something 20 metres away for 20 seconds. This is called the 20-20-20 routine. Remember to stay well hydrated. its recommended between 6-8 glasses of water a day. Eating oily fish 2-3 times a week is also good for you but not everyone likes oily fish. You can take an Omega 3 capsule supplement each day instead if you prefer. remember to "Think Blink" and use your drops regularly. I can't remember if youre on any eyedrops (sorry) but if you are make sure you leave 20 minutes either before or after taking the drop before you use the dry eye drop. This is recommended to anyone.
Thankyou Trish I really didn’t know dry eye could cause so much blur. I am on a eye drop it’s a combination one called Fixapost it’s Lantanprost and timodol I think that’s how you spell it. Thankyou for the message. I do like oily fish especially tuna but I definitely don’t drink enough water will start doing that
Yes hydration is so important, for anyone really but especially if you have dry eye. Fixapost is preservative free so will more gentle.
After my bilateral SLT at end of July I was given Carbomer which I’ve been using 2-3 times per day. Not due for review for two months but eye drops fast running out. My eyes feel dry so should I buy some as am guessing my GP will not want to prescribe? I don’t use any other eye drops or meds for open angle glaucoma.
I would ask your GP first. If they say no, speak to your consultant via the eye secretary and they should be able to arrange another prescription for you especially if they arranged this for you. You shouldnt really have to buy your own especially if the drops you use were prescribed.
I had Laser surgery in 2016 to both eyes for glaucoma. Pressures afterwards still need drops. After a number of different ones I am controlled with the use of Ganfort with pressures 10- 12. A number of different drops were tried and I had reaction to a number of them and finally Ganfort is ok ( preservative free ). I also had problems with dry eye and I now use lubricating drops - Theoloz Duo UD during the day and Theoloz Duo Gel at night. All seems ok now !
Thankyou. Glad everything is going well now x
ooh i love my thealoz duo drops. i didn't realise they do a gel also. i was prescribed evolve which is preservative free alternative to carbomer eye gel. i find it less useful and causes my eyes to really hurt when i wake up. was thinking to ask to return to normal carbomer eye gel but knowing there is a thealoz duo alternative i might try that instead. thank you.
Hi have your pressures still remained stable since 2016. That’s amazing if they have. How long have you had glaucoma. It really scares me
I was first diagnosed 25 years ago and used a variety of drops until the surgery in 2016. Recently had a field test as asked for by DVLA and ok . This test is only necessary if you have glaucoma in both eyes. If this is the case you must notify DVLA.
That’s amazing that your still driving and living life. I was only diagnosed in December last year and it still feels so scary. Not having surgery until 2016 is so good. I’ve already had laser in one eye it scares me I’m having that so quick though
You have my every sympathy ! In my experience dry eye can actually affect the quality of your life more than glaucoma if it is really bad. I have had really bad dry eye for the last 3 years and at times it has certainly caused very blurry vision. I find that staying hydrated makes a huge difference and that I need to use dry eye drops at least every 2 hours. I also do hot compresses and massage twice a day - I find this helps.
Thankyou for your message I really didn’t realise it could get that bad.
definitely agree with the link to quality of life. i hope that you don't mind my asking... but was yours caused by surgery? or the drops / meds they used during / post surgery?
Several years ago an ophthalmologist told me that I had dry eye and she prescribed lubricating drops which I admit that I often forgot to use because i didn't have any obvious symptoms. So I just used them when I remembered which was not everyday and probably only once or twice on the day i remembered.
but NOW .... oh my goodness ...... after eye surgery in March (which I regret having had) i am really suffering . my eye is dreadful. at best it is just discomfort but at worst it is actual pain. i cannot forget to use the drops because of this ..... my eye constantly reminds me that there is a problem. ha ha.
so thank you for highlighting the link to quality of life. indeed the glaucoma itself is not painful and allowed me to work and function. but the (apparent) dry eye means i have had to reduce my work hours and to limit my daily functions.
I have quite a complicated glaucoma history but basically my dry eye problems started after a trabeculectomy in 2018. Unfortunately this did not work well as the condition of the surface of my eye had been badly damaged over about 15 years of glaucoma drop use. The private consultant I eventually ended up seeing described some of the drops I was prescribed as “toxic”. So I think the answer to your question about what caused my dry eye is that it was probably a combination of factors. My current consultant has told me that glaucoma surgery tends to be more successful if it is done on eyes that have not been damaged over many years of drop use. Some days I feel really down about what has happened to my eyes - I have had my driving licence taken away and I have retired from my teaching job because I just couldn’t cope with all the surgery and the reduction in the quality of my vision. Three years on from my first op and 3 procedures later I still don’t feel that things have properly stabilised. Despite all this I believe I am lucky to be receiving treatment at the Birmingham Eye Hospital from an absolutely excellent surgeon and to have the support of my lovely husband and many friends. Dealing with dry eye can be draining on top of worrying about losing your sight to glaucoma so don’t let people tell you it isn’t a problem!
oh my goodness. it's so difficult when the meds we use to deal with one problem just seem to create another different problem. it's great that you have such a good surgeon because it is so important to have someone who will explain what's going on and try to help. I'm sorry that you also had to stop work. Am keeping my fingers crossed that our eyes stabilise in a good place!
Hi Julie, congratulations on your very reduced pressure... i told you it would work. what drops do you continue to take? i take dry eye drops make sure you choose preservative free mine our called thea. with my drug monoprost i get red eye and the drops are for that also. basically if you get pain in your eye or it feels gritty you need to put in your drops. so pleased for you. valfrance
Thankyou val. it wasn’t a proper check I took myself to hospital because my vision was blurry and was told it was dry eye. Obviously she took my pressures and the eye that had laser on it was 19 so hopefully when I go again it will still be ok
Good to hear the laser treatment has lowered your eye pressure. And as long as you remember DRY EYE drops...... I had to go yesterday to the eye clinic for a post cataract inspection. Apparently they said everything was OK after the op. However I was told my eye pressure had gone up again in my left eye and had to have two scans. On the day of my cataract op the pressures in both eyes had gone down to 15 from 40! Yesterday the right eye was 24 (which the doctor, never manage to see the consultant when I go) said was OK as I was using steroid drops and after the three weeks were up hopefully the pressure would have gond down. The left eye was 29, so i now have even more drops to use - one lot three times a day (a trial for two weeks until they see me again) and the Monopost drop at night. Been told not to use the Monopost in my right eye just yet. They were surprised that my sight wasn't as good as they had thought it would be after the cataract op so I had to have a macular test when, surprise surprise, they discovered I had astigmatisms which was why! They already knew that as I have been going there for high pressures for around 10 years now. Ad when I had the pre-cataract op examination I was told they might try to correct some of the astigmatism but obviously they didn't as I never had the consultant that I ws going to have and had someone who had just passed their exams! I asked about SLT and was told I would probably be eligible for it and that it might be the answer. Time will tell. One just gets fed at times as every visit it is a different story. x
Oh bless you. You have been through so much lately. You must feel drained from it I know I would be. Hopefully they will give you laser. It’s not fair you are being told different things and you obviously want to see a consultant. Sorry to hear all this x
Thanks Julie. x
Hi Enigma. Blimey that is a lot to deal with! I’m curious, do they think SLT may help your astigmatism? Or just bring the pressure down in that one eye. I have an astigmatism in my eye as well as glaucoma and it does make vision more blurry, so that you don’t know whether your worsening vision is the glaucoma or the astigmatism.
Hi, correcting astigmatisms just means the chance of better sight, does not lower eye pressures. Some places (mainly in the London area) can correct astigmatisms using laser treatment, However this is private and would probably cost £1200-£1500 per eye. The NHS can only try to correct this when one has a cataract op and they make small slits in the eye (sounds ghastly) but cannot fully remove the problem (only laster treatment can do that apparently).
I was advised by one of the many ophthalmologists I have seen recently that i should wait at least 15 minutes after putting in my glaucoma drops before i put in the dry eye drops. were you told the same? apparently that allows time for the glaucoma drops to start working before being washed away.
Yes I got told that and also Trish on here told me. Thankyou
I get a dry eye after having my trab, but only use it when needed maybe once a day or sometimes once every 2/3 days, but it does cause a bit blurriness if not taken but my eye was blurry before the op, so don't take much notice, I have to stop and think put a drop in !
Thankyou for your message. Definitely on top of it now
I was also alarmed when my eyesight suddenly seemed to be blurred when I was driving. Like you, I went to hospital as I had had surgery a few weeks earlier and was surprised to be told that it was dry eyes . It was quite a relief as I thought it was more serious.
Since installing lubricating drops no more blurred images. Getting outside also makes such an improvement to me. I agree the Theolos Duo drops U.D are good and very handy in small individual dropers.
Glaucoma patients could do with a list of possible problems and simple treatments to try especially after SLT or surgery. I suppose we get them on this forum !
Best wishes
Like you I was extremely worried and glad to be told it was dry eye I even had to leave work early because I couldn’t see the screen I work from. Went straight to hospital. I’ve now used them since yesterday and it’s improved massively. Thankyou for your message x
Hi Julie I had SLT last weekend and am also experiencing some blurriness and definitely dry eye feeling. The consultant gave me Carbomer drops to use but having read your post and the replies has made me realise I should use it more often. This forum is just so supportive and full of great advice.
Hi BonnieMagic. Hope your SLT has gone well apart from blurriness and dry eye. I learnt my lesson there that it’s definitely worth using dry eye everyday throughout the day. Keep in touch and let me know how the laser has worked x
Hi Julie, yes, it is a pain but you just have to build them into your routine... I have 3 drops in the morning and 3 at night, + a load of pills, so that happens straight after my shower, in a certain order, starting even before I dry my hair, and then before I change for bed. It's what works for me... I bet the docs would say 12 hours apart or something, but better 15 hours apart than not at all. There are various different lubricant drops... tell your GP if they irritate you... everything I have these days is single-drop, no preservative, as to my shock, when I count it up, I have been pouring in drops since 1969! And am now allergic to preservative. Keeping your fluid balance right is important too, and you may find a glass of water instead of/as well as a coffee may help. I definitely feel the effect of alcohol on my eyes, so more water, more water! You will find what suits YOU. Take it as a challenge... a chance for you to be more expert than the docs... No, my eyes prefer water before breakfast and coffee after. Or whatever. You will find your way and it helps you feel in control. Dry eyes are no fun and I am told the surface of the eye can be damaged, so you really don't want to miss out those drops. Look after yourself!
Thankyou for such a lovely message. I’m religious with the dry eye drops now. Also drinking lots of water. I don’t drink coffee so that’s a bonus. Have you got open angle glaucoma how long have you had it for. You say you have been putting drops in since 1969
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