r/Glaucoma

I have narrow angle glaucoma that I've been treating a few years now. The first thing I learned about the condition was the risk of angle closure and it felt terrifying. Fast forward to last night when I was waken up by sharp pain in my right eye. The anxiety I felt was increasing by the minute and after I made sure the pain isn't fading (about 20 mins) I went straight to the ER.

I felt so anxious that I couldn't speak to the doctor and just handed them a note on my phone explaining my condition, medications and current concerns. I was crying and shaking I just couldn't control the flow of panic I was feeling.

First thing they did - measure the eye pressure. The doc seemed confused and measured it a few times. Then we went to a different room to measure it on another machine. During this whole time the doc was telling me that everything's alright. After the last measure they confirmed - my pressure on the right eye was 19 and on the left was 23. I couldn't believe it. The pain I was still feeling was so strong...

They put a drop of Cosopt in my left eye and did some more tests and checks. By the time they finished the pressure of the left eye fell to 19 too and they concurred that what I was expecting was just a nasty headache. Advised me to go to a neurologist if it happens again. I felt so silly and ashamed that I panicked for absolutely nothing. The doc told me that it's not bad that I went to them but I still felt shitty and exhausted.

After I got home I took an Aspirin and went to sleep. Everything's been fine since.

40yo male, near-sighted. I recently went in for a routine eye exam to renew my contacts. The Dr I had been seeing changed practices and so this was a new one. The Dr. kept asking about family history of glaucoma (which I have none) and at the end indicated that I was considered a Glaucoma Suspect due to my large optic nerve. My eye pressure came in at 17/18 so normal, but I’m naturally freaking out.

She asked that I come back in 6 months…..is it worth it to see a specialist to rule out any other risk factors?

Thanks in advance!

HI, just wanted to rant here. I was diagnosed with glaucoma earlier this year but have been complaining about seeing flashes in my left eye since a year ago. I saw my eye specialist multiple times and my eye pressure was always in the 20s, but they only properly diagnosed me a year later, which was already quite late. I have only been on Xalatan eye drops since March, and good news is that my vision hasn’t worsened since then (I hope) and my pressure is stable at 10.

Right now looking through my left eye makes me quite sad because my vision is already partially affected and I can’t really read from my left eye anymore. Looking at my surroundings or watching TV with my left eye is okay but not satisfying and makes me quite dizzy. Reading books also makes my head hurt. My right eye is okay for now but I’m worried it will also become bad :(

For context i have had eczema since birth which means I’ve literally been using steroid creams, oral steroids and steroid eye drops my entire life and I had no idea it would lead to this. Thankfully I’m now only a non-steroidal medication for my eczema which seems to be working well. I drink a lot of water all the time and as a kid I used to do a lot of handstands during gymnastics so I’m not sure if that could have affected it as well.

I’m starting college in the fall and I’m looking forward to it but am also worried about not being able to read and write as well as I used to. I just really hope that my condition stays the way it is and doesn’t get worse 🤞some days I get paranoid and feel like it might be getting worse, but after I get some sleep it’s okay.

Thank you for reading :) Any tips or words of encouragement will be greatly appreciated ❤️

So I have familial glaucoma the common type and only in the last 10 years have my pressures been high enough to need drops, unfortunately I have a horrendous fear of putting things in my eyes. My team have been really kind about this however when offered SLT a couple years ago to negate the need for drops I went for it. Some help from my GP with anxiety and I successfully completed SLT. Pressures before SLT were 28-32 and after were 18-19. Pretty happy, I’ve had some follow ups and recently the hospital moved from hand held tonometers to the machines that blow a puff of air, I can’t use these and refused. They then had to get a more senior staff member and they got out the hand held tonometers. Now 8-9 in both eyes checked twice. Is this a poorly calibrated meter or can it drop that much without intervention?? I have in the meantime lost a LOT of weight if that matters. Not looking for medical advice just anecdotes from others.

Hi! Never posted on reddit before but wanted to get some insight.

A couple months ago I (25 year old M) had migraine headache with flashing in my eyes that made me have an appointment with the eye doctor. At that time, he noticed some weirdness with my optic nerves, cupping. At that point he gave me the glaucoma suspect diagnosis and to followup in 6 months. had the followup today with the visual field test, and a different test where they checked my optic nerves again.

The visual field test showed that my peripheral vision was okay. However, he was concerned that I did have some nerve degeneration. When they checked my eye pressures it was okay 16 in L 20 in R, but it has been slightly high in the past (low to mid 20s). The doctor told me that I had three options wait 6 more months to see if I had more degeneration, go on eye drops to lower pressure, or try surgery (SLT). I decided to opt for 6 months followup to also weigh in on what to do so he left my diagnosis as glaucoma suspect with high risk for progression (high myopia -9 in left eye, -8 in right). I am debating if I should get a second opinion from a Glaucoma specialist to see what my next steps should be.

I am honestly so anxious and scared. I feel like I have barely lived my life and already have a chronic condition. The thought of potentially losing my vision, needing surgery or painful drops (I have terrible eye drop technique) is very overwhelming to me. I am also super anxious about the impact it will have on my job. Frankly, right now I feel super lost and depressed and would love to have some insight, thoughts or just guidance on what the next steps would be. My mind naturally goes to complications with SLT but I am unsure if drops will work with me (chronic dry eye). I appreciate any kind of input! Thank you so much and forgive me if this isn't the proper way to post!

I drank coffee and had anxiety at my ophthalmologist appointment today! I always get nervous when I see any doctor! My eye pressure came back at 19 & 21! My eye exam went well but she wanted me to see a glaucoma specialist just to play it safe and said I'm low risk! Should I be worried????

My eye doctor said for me to keep the lights on at night to prevent eye dilatio. I was considering going to a concert and a movie I wanted to go to, both of which are before my planned laser proce. Shpups I just not go, or do you think I’d be okay? I have monocular vision so Im really not trying to mess around with this.

Close to a diagnosis and thinking about my options. I’m only 31 and the thought of being on drops the rest of my life sounds awful.

So I’m 35 yo born with septo optic dysplasia I’ve always had problems with my vision. So one day I was told that I have floaters in my eyes by my eye doctor at the time which was around late 2010’s 17-18-ish few years go by I’m like 32 or 33 and I started noticing white flashes in my eyes but fast flashes so I go to the eye dr about it and they’re doing all these extra tests that I’ve never done before. At the end of my eyes appointment they told me that I have no peripheral vision lost in both eyes but I didn’t noticed it at all. But they told me that I’m glaucoma suspect. So They did some type mri or cat scan to see the back of my eyes. And I went back to my eye doctor asap. And they were doing another different test. And the specialist came in and I told him how I felt and I told him how nervous I was and told me that he doesn’t that I have glaucoma. Said that due to my septo optic dysplasia that it might be normal. And ever since than I’ve been going to the eye dr every year getting check ups but one time I asked another specialist about what can I do to prevent glaucoma and they literally said just let it happen and til this day I’m still a glaucoma suspect and idk what to do. Should I seek lazik surgery? And if so where do I get the money for that. Like I have state insurance and I’m one ssi like I literally don’t know what to do. My next eye doctor appointment is next you on August 9th.

Any advice?

Btw before my uncle passed he was diagnosed with glaucoma but he was like a super unhealthy drug addict and he was in his mid 50’s and he was the only that ik that was diagnose with that.

Can anyone tell me the experience with replacing the lens to treat closed angle glaucoma?.
My mother’s IOP is rising and affecting the nerve and the doctor told us about the surgery if the pressure doesn’t come down. She’s on 3 eyedrops so this is the alternative now and she’s scared.

just wondering what your next steps were?

what did this mean for you about how you live - medications, dim lighting etc.

lens extraction isn't recommended for me.

I’m 31 years old and close to a glaucoma diagnosis. I’m researching treatment options as there’s already damage to both of my optic nerves and I’ve heard the drops can cause redness and irritation. Are there any that don’t do this?

I was shocked to walk in and sat in chair....given eye drops and a lens jammed in eye and a green laser shooting. In 3 minutes it was done. My eye was glued shut. Doctor offered no after care instructions. Didn't have me wait to check pressure. About 10 minutes after leaving I have brow aching into forehead and temple, nausea and can barely open eye and it's all glued and blurry. Will this go away? I called and left message but waiting on reply. I am scared. I am 45.

Hi. I’m a 9th-grade student living in South Korea. I don’t have glaucoma, but my intraocular pressure is around 19–25 mmHg. I also have thick corneas, which may make the readings 1–2 mmHg higher.

I’m currently weight training with the goal of squatting over 100 kg for 5 reps before I turn 15. Could heavy weightlifting raise my intraocular pressure or increase my risk of developing glaucoma? I’ve read that lifting near your 1RM can temporarily increase eye pressure, but I’m not sure about the long-term effects. Does anyone know anything about this or have any insight into whether heavy weightlifting is safe in my situation?

Also, I had several tests for glaucoma back in January, and so far, the doctor said there were no significant abnormalities. Oh, and I’m quite nearsighted as well.

I’m scared and need to vent and I also have a few questions. For reference I’m Canadian.

I went for a regular eye check up at an optometrist’s and they found the pressures in my eyes are high. They sent me to an ophthalmologist and I’ve seen him 3 times now and every visit he’s tested my pressures by physically putting something on my eye so it’s more accurate and it’s always either at the highest number for “normal” or a bit above normal. There’s also damage being done to both of my optic nerves. If I hadn’t gone for my check up I would never have known because my vision is good and I don’t need glasses. But I’m only 31 and I’m scared. Sounds like next time I see him if it’s high I’ll be diagnosed with glaucoma. I have a 2 and a 4 year old and the thought of not being able to see them one day rips my heart apart.

I would rather do a laser option than use the eye drops. He has an SLT laser in his office to treat glaucoma but he’s said because my eyes are small and I struggle so much not to blink while he’s testing my pressures the laser would be very difficult and that it is uncomfortable. He mentioned a DSLT laser which takes 2 seconds vs 2 minutes with the SLT and it’s not painful. According to him there’s no DSLT lasers in Canada and I would need to go to America to have it done there. I am open to this option but obviously I need to find out a lot more first. Has anyone done the SLT or DSLT and can speak about their experience? Where did you have it done? Any side effects? Other treatment options?

I am completely open to any and all information anybody has. I don’t know anything about glaucoma or the treatments outside of what my ophthalmologist has told me but I want to educate myself while I still have some time. I’ll be seeing him
again in 6 months.

Thank you so much in advance

Preservatives are not just ”a little sting” bad, they accumulate in the eyes and become dangerous long-term (months to years). They are being debated of being banned in Denmark for that reason. In addition to being dangerous to the eyes, they can destroy ur eyes oil glands.

hi, my problem may be minor to some , but I'm coming out of pure worry and need for reassurance.

I just went to the eye doctor, after like 10 years time and my eye pressure is apparently 22 in the right eye, 18 in the left. As for everything else, clear corneas, normal anterior chambers, normal-looking eye structures.. but I'm still worried

I'm young, and she didn't mention me being a suspect of the disease but she did ask if anyone in the family had it which scared me

What should I think? She didn't mention the actual numbers. I see them just now

Just wondering if people struggled with the Ahmed Valve implant? My pressure has been chronically low since the original procedure 6 months ago. A couple revisions were done to no avail. Having the shunt taken out next week. Has anyone else expe rienced something similar? Any guidance?

I have gastritis and I’ve only taken two of these pills and I am so sick. My pressure was 40 after steroid use for retinal vasculitis and they started me on two drops plus this pill twice a day and can’t handle it. I don’t see the gluacoma specialist until Monday. I’m going to call today to see if there’s any other option but in office yesterday my pressure wouldn’t go down without the pill. It went to 26.