Tomorrow is my OCT RNFL test scheduled due to Steroid induced OHT diagnosis which causes my IOP rises to 24.....And till than I am using timolol once a day so that The IOP will remain below 20....Few days back all routine eye tests and OPtic nerve is fine....But this RNFL test is creating havoc inside me....Unable to sleep from past few days thinking about this that this may indicate any serious thinning from the last OCT done 10 months ago and i will be declared a Glaucomatic eyes....RNFL values 10 months ago was 99 in left and 87 in r8....The only quadrant in r8 which was red in OCT last time was T....having a value of 2....And at that time I was having redness in the T part of the r8 eye....Can someone please help me in understanding and coping with these tests....And what If i avoid these tests and use Latonoprost in the advice of my eye doctor...Can this OHT will remain stable??
FEAR OF DIAGNOSIS: Tomorrow is my OCT RNFL test... - Glaucoma UK
FEAR OF DIAGNOSIS
Hi Gurjar. Why would you want to avoid these tests? By avoiding them you are dismissing any issues which can be addressed and treated. Early detection is everything. Do ask your consultant to explain it to you, to help you understand the importance of the OCT scan. If you have been advised to use Latanoprost, then I would do so. This eye drop will help reduce the pressure in your eye and help reduce RNFL damage. Yes, it is all about keeping your OHT stable. To check that it is stable involves tests such as the OCT, visual field test, eye pressure tests and optic nerve measurements. Let the hospital staff deal with the test results, explain what their findings are and then for you to comply with the treatment they suggest.
May be Gurjar, going too deeply into the understanding of the OCT scan, is causing you more anxiety. A simple explanation from your consultant is all you need. I hope all went well for you, as you have probably already had it done.
Whatever u wrote is correct.....My Over reading is the problem causing anxiety and anxiety is the issue I fear Diagnostic tests inspite of knowing their inportance....I have done with these tests yesterday and it shows OD 102 and OS 103.....R8 now i am using Timolol....My doctor wants me to continue for some years with this and then switching to latanoprost...dnt know the reason of this ...I just want to remain glaucoma freee atleast till the age of 50...r8 now i am 32....So this is the main concern of mine....iop is stable at 12 since 2 months.....HVF is normal....OCT shows no thinning.....But still....somewhere in the back of my mind i am fearful of going blind....
Hello Gurjar. From what you are telling me from your results yesterday they are all looking good. It is likely that you are worrying about nothing and that would be a shame. Sometimes openly talking about your anxieties can help more, so don't be put off calling us on 01233 648170. We may be able to talk you through it a bit better and have a better understanding.
That is one of the issue....But the problem is that after reading so many articles and n number of clinical studies...There are many a things that contradicts a doctor's words....Like I am an IT guy...Have to spend 13 14 hours on the screen...Doctors say that screen usage has no considerable affect on IOP...But studies showed that 15 mins screen usage increased IOP by 2 to 3 pts....I am unable to find a r8 person who can clear some of my doubts with scientific knowlege....That is my main concern
BTW....Overwhelmed with your response....But I am nt from UK....I am from India..That is why I am searching for consultations via posts as doctors here doesnt give a damn to the mental health of their patients....And for such doctors whom u can spend some time in discussion charges are pretty high.....Which I am unable to afford.....Still....Your concern and your attitude to help is very much appreciable..
One last query....After how much days a person can switch from Timolol to Latanoprost??
Thnks Dear
I understand your frustration with trying to find the definitive answer. The problem is glaucoma isn't text book with everyone. Ophthalmologist's also don't all work and treat in the same way. This isn't to say they are wrong. It's a case of what has worked well for their patients and their own experiences of what is best practice.
Looking at a screen hasn't been proven to raise IOP to the point that it should be avoided. It takes several trials and research before it can be declared. Some trials may not be complete or have flaws. However, it has been proven that looking at a screen for any length of time can cause dry eyes. We blink far less when using a screen.
Timolol can be switched to Latanoprost at any given but the important factor is why has your doctor suggested doing it this way? That's what you need to find out. The other question I would want to know is, as this is steroid induced OHT, what is the likelihood of your IOP returning to within the normal measurements and possibly not needing drops in the future?
Its not my doctor who wants me to switch to latanoprost...I consulted a doctor online and he suggested me to go for latanoproat instead of timolol as timolol has side effects.....He said that long term Timolol can make me a heart patient of ashtma patient....And apart from this he said that Timolol is useful in controlling pressure for 3 to 4 years....while Latanoprost has been found successfully controlling IOP for 10+ years.
I was diagnosed with Steroid induced OHT 1.3 years back with IOP 24 in both eyes....2 days use of Timolol reduced them to 16,14 so the doctor stopped it....from that time it slowly keeps on increasing till the 50th day when IOP was 19,22 (puff tonometer)....As I have a family history of Glaucoma....And the fear of blindness made me use timolol since then....Since last month i was using timolol for 10 days in a month.....Then on 23rd august i went to my doctor and pressure were 18,16.....Since then i am using timolol twice a day....and my IOP are 10,12 since then....
Thank you for the further information, very helpful to try and understand your circumstances better. Please keep doing your eye drops, whichever you decide. Not doing them is only going to allow the IOP to increase and that's when damage to your optic nerve can occur. Keep doing them and going to your eye clinic appointments and your outlook is a good one!
Yes....That is my goal from now...Can I ask you a few more questions for the ease of my mind and adopting a better strategy??
Yes of course, go ahead
1) What should be my IOP Goal?
2) Can I stop OHT from turning into Glaucoma for the next 20 years with drops and checking IOP twice a month?
3) Are Timolol and Latanoprost comparisons given me by a doctor correct?
4) With good care and regular drops can i live 40 years without completely going blind in both the eyes?
6) Finally....How Good is SLT Laser....Dr John Hagan once told me that SLT lasts generally for lifetime...Which means that we dont need drops and the pressure always remain with in the reach.
As Helen says no one can predict the future but speaking from personal experience I was born with glaucoma in 1962, it was picked up in the late 1970's, I'm 4th generation in the family with it, due to an unfortunate series of events I lost all vision in my left eye and was registered blind in 2017, my mum lived all her 88yrs with only one good eye due to glaucoma
So sorry to hear about your loss...People like you are the real inspiration for many like me...May i know your treatment plans adopted by your doctors and for how long they worked...And what was your vision when it was detected.
1. Your IOP goal is unique to you. It is when your HVF results, OCT scan results and optic nerve measurements are stable. Any change in these results will mean a change to treatment to lower your IOP further.
2. It is not a forgone conclusion that your OHT will develop into glaucoma, although it can happen. Your doctor will be aware of your risk with your family history. Treatment has started early for you though and will hopefully work as a preventative. Unfortunately no one can give you any guarantees. Should it happen in the future, there are so many different treatments that can be given for glaucoma now and probably even more in the looking ahead. There is a lot of research going on in the background.
3. All eye drops have side effects. Listen to the doctor who is treating you. You can always ask them about possibly changing to Latanoprost.
4. Again I cannot see into the future but there is no reason why with regular drops and monitoring of your eyes, that you would go completely blind. It is a fairly rare to lose useful vision from glaucoma nowadays.
5.?
6. SLT can be very effective and can if performed early on, delay the need for eye drops. However, it doesn't work for everyone. If it does work it usually lasts between 2 and 5 years but can be repeated.
Now relax, you are young and need to enjoy your life!
The points which provide me some relief are:
1) Its rare to lose useful vision from GLAUCOMA with treatment....So I dnt have Glaucoma...
I have OHT....I have a better chances to die with vision in my eyes.
2) I am young....And need to enjoy
One last question.....Which sleeping position is best in OHT??
Thnks A Lot...God Bless you
Don't need to worry about positions for sleeping, just make sure you do sleep.
Thnks a Lot for your prompt responses....This session really soothe my mind a lot
Thnks
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