Puzzled.

[Popsicle57]

Hi,

During my routine eye test my optician referred me because the discs on my eyes were different sizes, field test and eye pressures were all good. This was October 2022, and I had my appointment Wednesday 8th February at the local eye infirmary.

I was told my field test was perfect, my eye pressures were borderline @ 22, but was told the pressure had increased slightly from the date of my routine eye test, it was confirmed the discs were different sizes but it was not of concern, but imagery had shown I had a “ thinning” on the back of one eye. I was informed all of this information would be given to the consultant and he would decide if I should be monitored in clinic(family history of glaucoma, maternal), or whether I should be discharged back to the care of my optician for monitoring.

Today, within 48 hours of my hospital appointment, I was contacted and told the consultant wants me to start on eye drops ( Latanoprost) straight away , one drop each eye once a day, and should be reviewed in clinic for another pressure test in 8-10 weeks. It has come as a bit of a surprise as in clinic I didn’t think, from what was being said, that I needed treatment.

My question is , are the eye drops only prescribed because I have glaucoma? Or is my consultant just being cautious because of my family history. ?

[Trish_GlaucomaUK Partner]

Hello. The range for eye pressure is between 10mmHg and 21mmHg. It sounds as though the consultant has prescribed eye drops as a preventative to stop glaucoma from developing. This is not unusual and happens often. When you attend your next appointment, your eye pressure should have reduced, They may even talk to you about laser treatment as an alternative to using eye drops.

[Popsicle57 in reply to Trish_GlaucomaUK]

Thank you so much Trish. I should have asked questions when I was told, but as is the case often, I was surprised and only afterwards thought “ I should have asked …. “

[tkhach44 in reply to Popsicle57]

I was prescribed Latanoprost too, for my right eye, when pressure was 25, and while using it for 1 month, the pressure did not go so much down, then I was advised thymolol, which was drying my eye too much. Now, after one year, I decided to stop the thymolol, not so much with the consent of my eye doctor, and I keep on with Latanoprost, which is milder, and acts as a relaxant for the eye muscles. The result is: My eye pressure varies between 21 and 25, and I feel more comfortable with it, as I am in my seventies, and my eyes have been always dry, even without thymolol.