Glaucoma - 'I know of people whose eyesight got worse almost overnight'
- Introduction
- Symptoms of glaucoma
- Causes of glaucoma
- Diagnosing glaucoma
- Treating glaucoma
- Complications with glaucoma
- "If I'd not gone for regular eye tests I might not be able to see now"
- 'I know of people whose eyesight got worse almost overnight'
- prevention
Linda Moore has had open angular glaucoma since she was 39. She runs the Poole Glaucoma Support Group, which supports people with glaucoma in their local area.
"I had no idea I had glaucoma until I went for a routine eye examination at the age of 39. I didn’t have any symptoms at all, but after my eye test the optician just said: ‘You’ve got early-stage glaucoma. I’m going to give you a letter to give to your doctor, and you’ll need to see a consultant.’
"It was a shock to find out there was something wrong. I know now that I’ve got a family history – one of my aunts had it – but at the time I didn’t know anything about it. I was aware that it’s a disease of the eye, but I didn’t realise it could cause blindness.
"To be honest, when I saw the consultant I wasn’t given much more information. I received some eye drops (glaucoma causes the tear ducts to dry up, so the drops help with that). I was told I'd have to take them for the rest of my life, but that was it. I’ve discovered through the support group that many people find there’s a lack of information during the first consultant appointment.
"One of the major causes of glaucoma is a rise in the pressure in your eye, which weakens the optic nerve and possibly damages it. At one point, the pressure in my eyes kept rising and I was advised to have laser treatment to lower it. The treatment took place at the Eye Unit at Bournemouth Hospital. It wasn’t particularly comfortable or painless, but it was over quickly, and it worked.
"I know I’ve been very lucky. I’ve had good consultants who've kept a careful watch on the results of my six-monthly check-ups, and I’ve managed to maintain reasonable eyesight. I’ve had to stop giving blood, and I can’t take certain medications – but they’re the only restrictions so far. My eyes are tested regularly, and I need new glasses every two years. But having regular eye tests is absolutely crucial. I know of people whose eyesight got worse almost overnight due to their glaucoma being undiagnosed or unchecked."
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