Glaucoma & Tinnitus

[FlavianEyes]

I would like to say how pleased I am to have joined this Group. I thank you all for your responses regarding my question about swimming (with Glaucoma). I also have tinnitus (high pitch ring/hiss) and am curious to know if anyone is experiencing this as a consequence to having glaucoma and/or due to the eye drops. My doctor thinks it is attributed more to fluid buildup behind the eardrums due to allergies. Another theory is the correlation of having had Covid, Glaucoma and the drops.

[mx20378]

my L ear tinnitus has gotten worse since i started glaucoma eyedrops, and i seem to get L ear infections very easily... could easily be coincidence though, I've had some tinnitus forever

[FlavianEyes in reply to mx20378]

Thank you mx20378. I have not gotten infections but I do think there is fluid buildup behind my eardrums, which may be associated with the eye drops, hence the tinnitus. Although I have had some ringing in my ears before they detected glaucoma. However, the ringing is much louder now. Oh well, just need to stay ahead of the curve!

[PBX142]

I started getting tinnitus after being given eye drops for glaucoma. If you look at the side effects of some (or maybe all?) of these drops, they do list tinnitus. Another joy for us to contend with! There is also some medical belief that there is a link between glaucoma and tinnitus, especially with non tension glaucoma, which I have. So whether the tinnitus is caused by the medication or by the glaucoma itself, who knows....

[FlavianEyes in reply to PBX142]

Thank you PBX142. I do think that there is definitely a link to tinnitus when using the drops. However, as we all know, we cannot do without the drops (until further discoveries!), so I will just have to deal with it.

[PBX142]

Yes...it isn't like we have a choice. But I would like to ask you: aside from the tinnitus, do your ears get itchy? My inner ears get very itchy! I went to an ear specialist at the local hospital and he didn't have a clue. So maybe that's to do with the drops too.

[FlavianEyes in reply to PBX142]

I have experienced itchy ears over the years. Lately not as much, but a few months ago it came back. It comes and goes. Strangely enough, I would often get itchiness when I was driving/riding in a car. Other times, whenever. It would drive me crazy sometimes. I wish I could give you remedies! I would recommend to have your ears checked periodically, for wax buildup, fluid, infections, which could be related to the itchiness. Good luck.

[Ariommac19 in reply to PBX142]

Interesting! My ears get very itchy too. I use a tiny drop of ear oil from the pharmacist to control it. It’s so annoying at night. As I never had this problem before I wonder now if there’s a link.

[PBX142]

Thanks, FlavianEyes. Good luck to you too!

[YoungontheOutside]

I too take glaucoma eyedrops and have tinnitus. I had no idea until now that it was a thing. I’ve had to switch eyedrops in the last week and interestingly I developed a new sound in my left ear the following day. It won’t be long until I have a full orchestra playing in my ears.

[valfrance]

I have tinnitus started before eye drops. Its your immune system and signals in the brain. Had all the tests. Also have under active thyroid..once again immune system.