SLT UPDATE 7 MONTHS LATER

[valfrance]

Hi to all of you who have had SLT or are contemplating it. Its important that we all post our developments with slt and what drops we continue to use. Especially as slt is now being offered by some consultants as the first line of treatment before using any kind of drops.

It is now 7 months since I had SLT and I continued with just 1 drop monoprost after the slt.

Last month my pressure was 20 and 20 in each eye

this month it is 17 and 19 in each eye... the lowest it has been is 18 and 17.....

It fluctuates however my consultant is ok when it was 20 and 20 as in my tests last month no further damage has occurred in my optical nerve... with this level of pressure.

I monitor myself and go to another consultant each month just to take my pressure. you could all do this at specsavers... i live in france, they don't do eye tests in opticians, you have to go to a consultant. it costs me 30 euros each time cheaper than buying your own machine.

it just gives me peace of mind. there is no way on earth i would be waiting for 6 months for my next test.. (here is is every 2 months by the way being monitored).

i did this last october my pressure raised from 23 to 28 on monoprost I had been using it for 2 years....... at the time i just had occular pressure.... the consultant sent me away with nothing but monoprost i had higher pressure at the time... and told me to change my lifestyle i.e. stop smoking etc... i did.. went back at the end of january to be told its still 28 and now you have glaucoma... as you can imagine i changed my consultant... after that she should have given me a 2nd kind of drop.....according to my new consultant.....to reduce this high pressure, maybe I would not have got glaucoma... since that time I am more proactive in my care....

what if it goes up to a high amount you need to know to act fast with perhaps a 2nd drug to take. I will never make that mistake again... I know more now than ever, and I will never solely accept what any consulant says before researching what medication they give me.

I am hoping the SLT continues to work to avoid a 2nd kind of eye drop. i did take 2 drops and it made me quite ill. good luck to all of you valfrance

[Hidden]

Hi val I can’t believe it’s been 7 months since your laser. I’m due back on 5th November to see if they do the other eye and see what the pressure is in the eye that was done because it was only 20 when he checked it. Obviously I’m very scared again so scared of going blind it’s consuming me everyday. You sound very upbeat. I did go to Specsavers but they won’t just do pressure checks and when they did they wouldn’t tell me the pressure so I got more stressed. I’ve only be 8 weeks between appointments at the mo so I’m comfortable with that not sure I’d cope with 6 months though I would start to panic.

[valfrance in reply to Hidden]

Hi Julie, thanks for replying. I am not really upbeat I am fighting.....I read all the comments and I know they do their best in the NHS however, there is no consistency clearly in treatment or care. It changes from one region to the next. I think the NHS should realise this is a disease like cancer and quick action is required.

Look at you waiting this long for the 2nd eye when you were at 20 in the left eye when you went. They should have done your 2nd eye I would have insisted on it. Pressure fluctuates and stress does not help your eyes. Clearly you have been stressed by this for weeks. Please try this for your pressure... raise your bed by 20% with 2 wedges of wood under the feet, wear builders glasses (you can buy them it stops you snuggling into the pillow, not good for your eyes as the weight of your brain is behind your eyes and your pressure increases whilst you sleep. all research i have read...i sleep on my side i cannot sleep on my back....

go to specsavers and get the whole test eye test and pressure test then....or another optician.... who cares pay the 25 pounds its worth it. do not use decongestants or steroids they increase pressure. do not drink too much water before your test, this temporarily increases pressure..and get up at least 4 hours before your test, it takes time for your pressure to decrease after laying down sleeping. it would be interesting to see if this helps... stop worrying...you are being monitored at least and your pressure is not high in your eye at 20... so long as your optic nerve does not become damaged at this level. takecare and good luck for your appointment. valfrance

[EthelPledge94]

Hi valfrance great to hear your news. I'm so pleased the SLT had worked for you so far. Would you believe I'm still waiting for mine almost 7 months on. I've been diagnosed with AMD in my good eye as well since then and have started treatment for this. I've had one injection so far and although some issues initially my eyesight has improved slightly. The clinic is also monitoring my pressures (I'm on cosopt x 2 daily and monopost x 1) . My last pressures were 18 in each eye. I'm due a second AMD injection on 8th November and the SLT on the 9th. I'm assured this is safe. I have to put my trust in the consultants. I'm really happy for you and I do hope your pressures remain low. Great news. Good luck.

[valfrance in reply to EthelPledge94]

Hi thanks for responding... slt is easy.... does not hurt... its like getting a pressure test... however you put this metal ring on your eye, you don't feel it and then she uses the laser... don't worry about it. They put drops in your eyes.for your macular make sure you are taking all the nutrients you need.

i take a natural supplement nutrioff it has it all and i take gingko bilbao also. maybe you get all these in your food you eat. I just take it anyway. take care valfrance

[Beecalmed]

Hi Valfrance! I’m really pleased that you’re having such a positive outcome. Thank you for the update. It is very heartening to hear. I have the second half of my SLT next month and I’ll be checked a month after that. I’m interested to see if my pressures change at all by December and how long I go to see if SLT is working. Fingers crossed for both of us! My biggest challenge at the moment is to avoid getting covid, flu or one of the many bad colds or bugs dojng the rounds that might prevent me attending for my hospital treatment. Lots going around in my area. 😷🤞🏻

[Engima]

Great to hear that SLT is working for you. I should be having another appointment in two months time to see if the extra drops (presumably Cosopost) have helped bring the pressures down. If not have been told SLT will be the next step, but I would still have to have eye drops. If I have to have SLT hope that I can, like you, go back to just one drop a day. But would be even better if the SLT worked and I didn't have to have eye drops as they give me bad dry eye.

[valfrance in reply to Engima]

Hi thanks for responding. I was on 2 drops monoprost and alphagan. After the SLT I was the one who suggested after 3 weeks of continuing with 2 drops that we go down to 1 drop. My argument was how do you know what reduced level I can get to with this procedure if we continue to take 2 drops. Apparently slt is more succesful on a virgin eye before any drops... however I did not know any of this and I had been taking monoprost for 2 years for occular pressure not glaucoma...

She agreed and put me just on monoprost, as my optic nerve was not damaged further by my current pressure. fingers crossed my pressure stays around this level 17 & 19.. and no damage....she would prefer 13 or 14 however at the end of the day, she said to me its important you are happy mentally... and I was not happy taking alphagan... it was screwing me up thinking about putting yet a further drop into my eyes and the side effects of course.

I wish you well...cospost is at least preservative free and has good results apparently however you could ask for slt if you are suitable to have it and hopefully just have 1 drop.. there is no harm in trying...

do you take dry eye drops... the king of drops thealose duo...

take care valfrance

[Engima in reply to valfrance]

Hi again. My pressures had gone down to 14, but were back up again on my visit on Monday. I have only been taking eye drops since June, so virtually virgin eyes, hopefully! Haven't got the new eye drops yet and haven't heard from the doctor's surgery to say they have disposed them. if haven't seen anything by mid week next week will have to join a large telephone queue to find out! Next time I visit the eye clinic will ask about having SLT in the hope the eye drops can be reduced or even have none at all! I am taking dry eye drops - Hycosan Fresh three times a day and Xalin Night just before bed time.

[Lovemy2woofs]

Great to hear your SLT is working , hope it continues for you 🤞🏻

What a difference in the care you are receiving in France with UK.

Its not as easy here just to get pressure checks , or even see a consultant , often you see staff who do tests and this gets sent to a consultant .

Not all of us have access to the consultants secretary’s etc.... it’s a mixed bag I feel .

I’ve been discharged after my iridotomy , back to just seeing optician for my usual annual check up .

I wasn’t expecting too, as another lady on here who has same as me and we are at same hospital with same staff seeing us , has a 6 month follow up after hers .

At the moment I’m just getting on with life , waiting for my diabetic retinopathy results , but as long as that’s ok after that trying not to stress over my eyes as I have felt stressed all year about them .

My normal optician visit for glasses check etc... is due in Jan, so that will be my first pressure check since beginning of Sept.

[valfrance in reply to Lovemy2woofs]

Hi thanks for responding. I live in the south of france, my consultant is in Monaco (its not private). She is a specialist in glaucoma and a surgeon and has written articles on glaucoma in nice matin newspaper.

I am lucky to be living here based on my reading on this forum. I can go online and book a consultant for anything, we even book our own MRI's. You just go to the doctor and if he thinks you need a MRI or an xray, you just go on line (its 1 site) and book it. A 1st consultancy costs 50 euros to see someone, however if you live here you then get almost all of it back. I don't pay anything when I go to Monaco, my SLT was done within 1 week of my first consultancy.... and the 2nd eye the following week. Since then I have been constantly monitored first every month then 2 months, then 3. No more than that.

Apparently specsavers don't just do pressure tests. Therefore if that is the case, I would go to different opticians and get the whole thing done i.e. eye test and pressure. I would not be waiting for a 6 month or yearly test. If you were not going to the opticians, you would not be getting a test for your pressure at all till mid next year. You should be asking about how your follow up is longer than the other lady. take care and good luck valfrance

[Lovemy2woofs in reply to valfrance]

I’m not having a follow up, I’ve been discharged from the hospital eye dept. I had a follow up 3 weeks after my laser ( as did the other lady ) it was successful , so been discharged , she is having another follow up in 6 months , so not been discharged . Hers was successful too.

In UK we only get to see opticians on NHS every two years , but as I have had iridotomy and half brother with glaucoma, it will be yearly .

Unless I pay for extra visit of course .

I don’t have Glaucoma at this present time , I had narrow angles .

Sounds like you are in the best place for your eye care , stay safe and well.

[Spanieldoglover]

Hi that’s great news that SLT is working for you and you certainly seem to have good treatment in France. I’m due to have SLT in both eyes on the 18th November. My consultant said I won’t have to use drops after this so it will be interesting to see if that changes as from what I’ve read on here most people still seem to use drops afterwards.

I had to have cataracts operations when the glaucoma was discovered so my consultant put me straight on latanoprost drops to be taken at night. He said if it hadn’t been for the cataracts he would have done SLT straight away as he sees that as the first treatment now as research has shown SLT to be more effective than drops.

However, after the cataract ops and by using the drops my pressures had dropped from being in the 20s to 11 and 12 so hopefully with SLT they will continue to be low. He said he doesn’t want them higher than 14.

Got to say this is all quite new to me, but I’m finding this forum really helpful.

[valfrance in reply to Spanieldoglover]

Hi thanks for your response. Your consultant sounds really good, and proactive. SLT is easy, I was so worried, there is no noise, you just sit in the chair as if you having a pressure test, they put drops in your eyes first, then a metal ring to keep you eye open... then all you hear is them pressing a button in different areas of the eye. takes 5 minutes each eye. I take lantaprost it is called monoprost here... I am ok with that drop and continuing. Your pressure is really good. If I go back in time I was 28 in the end with monoprost it became glaucoma.... with the slt and monoprost 17 and 19 so quite a reduction... therefore hopefully you will have a good drop too without using monoprost. good luck kind regards valfrance

[Spanieldoglover]

Thank you, it’s really reassuring to hear the SLT is a straightforward process. I hope all remains well with you.