On Tuesday I went to see the consultant at the QEH about my potentially dodgy right eye.
He did various test, he looked at my eyes under coloured lights and pressed various objects against their surfaces (not too hard and under a very local anaesthetic so it didn't hurt, just felt odd). He made his notes, consulted the chart from the last visual acuity field test I did and decided: yes this duck has wings. The pressure is markedly raised in my right eye and slightly too in the left and the field testing shows the classic arc of vision lose for the right eye. I have glaucoma.
I'm now on beta blocker drops which means that my snooker playing should improve but my hopes of being an Olympian have been dashed. I'm ok, although I will admit, I did have a little weep the next day I think that was more because I'm going to be on medication for the rest of my life and that seems so final. But really, the glass is more full than empty, it was spotted before any serious damage was done and with continuing treatment there's very good chance that I will never have noticeable sight loss.
I'm glad to hear they've caught it early, but sorry there was anything to be caught. I think I'm used to taking pills everyday, it's like remembering to eat, you get used to it ;)
ReplyDeleteI think I'd weep too, it's a change, something you had no control over, and not a positive change, it's deserving of a cry. Besides I'd cry if I'd had anything touch my eyes!
It is always good to catch these things early. The eye doctor checks me out every year for that. I have bad sight and so I have to go once a year for new contact lenses anyway.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear your news :-( but glad you caught it early enough to treat :-D
ReplyDeleteLove from the 3 up north
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Sorry to hear the news, I'd be upset too, but relieved at the same time because at least it's been diagnosed early.
ReplyDeleteI get regular eye tests but my husband doesn't, which drives me to distraction as his sister has glaucoma.
Hinny, at least it has been found early and it is treatable.
ReplyDeleteSpeak soon about shoes and hair and make-up and flowers and stuff.....
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Strange isn't it? You always expect things to go on as before, day after day, much the same. But we are all getting older, I blame the entropy: "things fall apart, its scientific" as the Talking Heads sang. Thongs fall apart too, but that is just shoddy manufacturing techniques. Sorry, rambling. Good luck Jane. Shocking duck btw.
ReplyDeleteIsn't there another, uh, medication they give for that? Or that you take, not so much as it's 'given?' One with a certain claim to being 'herbal?'
ReplyDeleteDon't feel too bad about the beta-blocker thing. I'm on one (Atenelol), along with Crestor, Zetia, Niaspan, etc. Have a heart attack and they won't just settle for putting you on ONE drug for life. Plus, with a heart attack, no free pass to smoke grass.
In my former life, I assisted an Ophthalmologist, and the best advice I can give you is to just continue on the drops and keep regular checkups. And be glad you have the NHS! Those drops cost an uninsured american about $100USD or more per month, per drop, and I spent a lot of time convincing poor people who really needed the money that just because they FELT ok didn't mean there wasn't damage happening.
ReplyDeleteIt's never fun to get bad news, but especially with glaucoma, an early diagnosis makes a HUGE difference. As you said, there's probably a very good chance you won't ever notice a change in your vision at all.