Mixed up with recent diagnosis

[Emerneurosis]

Hi everyone. It has been so good to read all the different posts about Glaucoma and Glaucoma suspect and interocular eye pressure. I was with private consultant here in Ireland just three days ago who did visual field test and put in the dye etc. to exam my optic nerve. She said optic nerve seemed normal but I was very short sighted which I am well aware of. She showed me visual field results which she thinks suggests something on my left eye side but didn't really say what. My pressure was normal but the reason I was there is that at times my pressure goes up to 32. My own optician had sent all my images and this result last December to my public hospital who seemed to be unconcerned and just said it happens sometimes that you can have high pressure but obviously the optic nerve images must have been good back then too. I think they did a visual field test a few years ago and at the time I was diagnosed with dry eyes, blepharitis. They said Glaucoma can take twenty years to develop and were so reassuring. They considered me routine and were sending out letter to attend outpatients in three to six months time.

So in the meantime I attended this consultant on Monday as I suppose I noticed my eyesight a bit blurry at times and sore but night driving kills me and I just am short sighted decided to pay and and get it looked at sooner and was so shocked that she seemed to think I should start treatment as a preventative. She prescribed Monopost drops once a day and will see me again in six months. I know its probably all fine but just freaked out a bit at the idea of starting to take these meds for life and still not sure if I just have high eye pressure or early early suspected Glaucoma. She did say my cornea is thick and this can cause high eye pressure. I am now imagining my peripheral vision is worse and I know I do find it harder to adjust at night when I turn off the light to the darkness but only for a few seconds. I think my stress is so high that it could be exacerbating my eye issues! Anyway I am moving towards acceptance that it is probably wiser to just start the drops. Called to my pharmacist today and she said if pressure is fluctuating then really I should follow consultants advice. Also said most people don't have the side effects that look so scary when you look them up. Eye colour change etc. I have to do anything I can to protect my sight I already have sensitive eyes she removed an ingrown eyelash. I am a healthy 61 year old woman who runs and has older siblings with no serious eye issues so it is a shock to get. I appreciate people reading this and any thoughts. thanks so much

[Trish_GlaucomaUK Partner]

Hello,

It is not unusual for consultants to prescribed eye drops as a preventative to reduce the risk of glaucoma from developing.

The normal range of eye pressure is between 10mmHg and 21mmHg. A pressure of 32mmHg is much too high, so it is very important that this is lowered to a safer, more stable level, which is why the drops have been recommended.

You are what they call Ocular Hypertensive, which basically means your eyes can tolerate a higher pressure because you have thicker corneas.

If the pressure is too high, even for someone with Ocular Hypertension (OH), eye drops are prescribed. NICE guidelines state that anyone with eye pressure over 24mmHg should be referred, monitored and treated if necessary.

When you go back in 2-3 months time, they will check your eye pressure again. If they are happy with the way the drops are working, they will ask you to continue with them, or may even mention having laser surgery, which, if successful will omit the need to use eyedrops.

[Emerneurosis in reply to Trish_GlaucomaUK]

Thanks very much Trish for your reply. Yes I am now getting used to idea of taking drops and am collecting them on Saturday. It was just a shock compared to what public hosp response was which was basically pressure goes up and down. No action to be taken for now. Glad I went to expense of private. Would be devastated lose my vision. Eyes already sore and sensitive to light but assumed that was the dry eye condition I have. I was given private follow-up in six months so after reading your reply might see if they will give me one for sooner than that. Grateful now to be given a prevention plan and hope Monopost suit me! Thanks again. Emer

[Bensey1 in reply to Trish_GlaucomaUK]

Be careful if you are offered laser surgery for. Eye pressure I have advanced glaucoma in left eye with high pressure had 1 laser surgery went back 2 weeks later didn't work was still high booked me in for more invasive surgery next day I went from having good vision in my left eye to being completely blind in the left eye my consultant said he should of done the surgery the other way round

[GardeningDorset123]

My side effect is amazing long lashes!! use the drops

[Emerneurosis]

Thank you Gardening. Picking them up Saturday common sense will prevail!

[Reformer]

I'm quite new to drops too (since about last November) and am 66 and found it very difficult to envisage having to use drops every day for ever and ever, but am perfectly used to it now, and really anything that will help prevent any degree of sight loss is certainly worth doing. I'm sure it will be fine - and yes, lashes do get longer!

[Ritualhazard]

Hello. To add a bit of colour here from my journey. I was initially diagnosed with high IOP at a regular checkup at the opticians. My pressures were in the mid 30s so I was referred to the hospital where they measured mid 20s in the day. Field tests all good. They weren’t concerned but put me on the monitor list and started me on Latanoprost drops ( so far, same story as you). However I have been on a more challenging journey than that and ultimately ended up investing in my own tonometer to take my pressures because I kept getting blurred vision and seeing haloes. At one point t the theory was that I was having strokes or mini heart attacks. The tonometer showed that all the symptoms were due to pressure spikes. Whilst it is normal for pressures to vary by a 2-3 over the course of the day, spikes to mid 30s is not normal according to my consultant. I’ve had treatment now and my field tests are still good so I don’t want to scare you. But…..take the drops and follow any preventative advice. Once you’ve lost your sight you can’t get it back. Also bear in mind that your pressures may be a little different to the “normal” way these go - no particular action but worth keeping in the back of your mind. Feel free to PM me for a chat if you like. Good luck.

[Emerneurosis]

Thanks so much to both of you. Not sure how to private message here. Yes bit scary to hear your story my cornea is thick and really only had high eye pressure since September 2021 and prior to that regular eye exams always normal. But have dry eyes and lately headaches and eye pain but really think that is more the stress of last week. Night time vision not as good. Wonderful your field vision tests clear not sure mine were completely clear on Monday but optic nerve normal and was so last December. I have to reassure myself that nothing urgent or horrible is going to happen suddenly or in the next few days or weeks and I will start the drops without fail on Saturday. Private consultant does not want to see me for six months. I could spiral into a fear that my vision is worse or notice all sorts of things that are more to do with my dry eyes or stress or tension etc. I know myself very well and am a huge manifester of physical symptoms. I am a qualified Psychotherapist working in private practice and work very intensely with all kinds of issues. My ability to run drive and sit with many people is of huge importance to me. So I really hope all this will settle and can trust I will be fine. Consultant did remove ingrown eyelash on my lid I'm even aware of my caffeine intake after my early two cups that's my limit and last night checking what side I was sleeping on. So I really need to calm down and trust. Thanks so much for all the replies.