keeping positive

[Justinerose]

because my operated eye was not becoming any clearer in vision, my surgeon put 4 more stitches into the bleb (trabeculectomy). 4 weeks later I have been regularly testing my vision with a n optical chart. Although still blurry, I can make out line 4 with a bit of squinting. I am grateful that my other eye is still perfect and I wonder what my surgeon will now suggest for the blurry one. Obviously I’d like some closure on this.

[Angel5454]

I’m glad you are seeing a bit of an aprovment hopefully it will get better as time goes on. All the best🤞🤞🤞

[Sorshup]

It is good to keep positive, of course! I forget when you had the trab, but mine to the Rt eye 5 years agotook months to clear and has never returned to the previous level of sight. I accepted advice to haave a second trab revision to the Lt eye, which was done mid December. Again this knocked the vision down, similarly after one stitch last week and a further 4 this week because of leaking. One can only wait. But I would really like to understand your analysis (and that of others,too) of your sight. The judgement of glaucoma progression and of degree of visual impairment is classically madw on visual acuity, visul fields and OCT nerve head scanning. How do you and I describe our sight loss? I would include difficulty with low contrast (e.g. drinking glasses on a white work surface, or just faint print on both screen and paper) and disabling glare from the sky or ceiling lights. I look forward to the publication of the resulys of Igra Yousef's work at Bradford, on reported symptoms of glaucoma sufferers.

[RobMitchell in reply to Sorshup]

Hi. I had a grab last May and although the blur did finally go, my sight hasn’t returned to the level it previously was. My levels are now manageable so no complaints really

I was very interested in your description of your sight loss and your description resonated with me. I find it hard to articulate my sight loss to people. The obvious sight loss is peripheral, as you’d expect, but I also have this odd thing where I can look at something but sort of don’t see the full picture for a few moments. As if the message from eye to brain is delayed. I can even feel it while driving on very familiar roads. Sometimes they aren’t familiar at all until my eyes and brain click into gear! It’s really odd and no one seems to know what I mean. I suspect it’s because I’ve got a combination of significant sight loss in one eye and some lesser central loss on the other. It’s like looking at a big jigsaw but it not making sense until someone puts the final piece in and then the picture is really clear. Anyway, I am not sure if I’m making sense at all so I’ll stop! But thanks. The contrast example is probably the closest I’ve seen to someone having similar issues.

Rob

[Sorshup in reply to RobMitchell]

Thanks Rob, very interesting! I suspect you have some central vision loss in both eyes, but not simply as a reduced sharpness of vision (visual acuity) but as micro-scotomata which are seen easily using the Amsl;er grid. Are you with me? Put a dot in the middle of a regular pattern such a graph paper; concentrate on the dot. Is the surrounfing pattern complete and evenly clear? If it is, my suggestion is probably wrong. Gut if it is rather scrappy it might explain why recognising the first few seconds of a view is uncertain. By the way, are you still under 70 years old, therefore not subject to the annual driving licence review? And have you told DVLA of your glaucoma? Just thought I would check the obvious !

[RobMitchell in reply to Sorshup]

Oh that’s interesting. I’ll do the test and see what I get. Thanks

I’m 53 and was diagnosed 4 or 5 years ago. The deterioration in my left eye was worrying with a marked deterioration in peripheral visual, but the trab seems to have helped manage pressures, so hopefully slowed that down. The lesser worry was the small central loss in the right eye, but maybe that has deteriorated a bit further? I’m back at the eye hospital at the end of this month, so I should find out then. Either way, I need both cataracts sorting so that too may be hindering me.

Yes, I am on a three year licence for driving, which I’ve just had renewed.

Thanks so much for your reply and suggestion. Really appreciated.

[Sorshup in reply to RobMitchell]

Thanks for the further info, Rob. What you have not told us is whether you have informed DVLA and that your recent renewal followed a clear pass of the DVLA Drivers Visual Field test, which should have been rewuired of you if you had correctly declared glaucoma and loss of visual field on the licence application. Sorry if this appears over inquisitive or bullying, but the validity of your insurance depends on everything being proper. Hope your view from the window is less frosty this morning !

[RobMitchell in reply to Sorshup]

OK. Yes, fully sorted with DVLA. Only had renewal in October 24. They know all my details and I did the field test and acuity as normal. Never had a DVLA test without field test tbh. I was diagnosed with glaucoma in both eyes from the very start so I’ve got to know the DVLA well! I got another three year licence, which bearing in mind that I still had a little bit of residual blur left from the trab in May, I was happy with. And will have new field test at hospital at the end of the month. I’m on top of it. The last person who will be driving if it is unsafe is me!

[Sorshup in reply to RobMitchell]

Great, thanks Rob !