High eye pressure

I have just spent a day (thursday) all day at the hospital with my mum having a "phasing" test done..had to be there at 8 home at 5 they test your eye pressure every 3 hours or so wasnt uncomfortable apart from the eye drops that sting a little.

My mum has had steroid implants (twice)
laser surgery (to enlarge the tubes)
Cataracts
also had to have her cataract polished with laser.
she only has sight in one eye
So far shes doing ok shes 83 and a little trooper .

Hi all
Please could you help me I'm going out my mind.
I went for a general check up 2 weeks ago at the opticians and they sent me straight to hospital that day.the hospital found my pressure was high but didn't know why.they went all medical and have arranged to send me for ct scan and lumber puncture.i don't know why they didn't give me drops and say come back soon.can o but these drops over the counter?

The last time I had my pressures checked - at a hospital eye clinic, because of epiretinal membrane - was 18 months ago. They have always been higher than normal, 23/24, but this time the pressure in my right eye was 27. This was using the puffer test. Then I was tested with the numbing drops in my eyes and the doctor touched my eyes with the probe. He told me that my pressures in both eyes were actually 18!
Can't understand why there was such a difference. I should have had them checked again last year, but haven't got round to it yet. The optician uses the puffer test, so I'll be interested to see what they are this time.

Yes robert2 this forum is for Grans and Grandads so as far as I am concerned of course you can post
As for my eye pressures, when I went back to the consultant the pressures had gone down slightly, and she was happy with that, and I don't meed to see her again until June. No I am not using drops, just take the Macushield supplement... and I do so agree... getting old ain't much fun with all the ailments and aches and pains, things dropping down or off , etc etc

Sheena, did you ever get your pressure below 28/32? Are you now using any drops? I've been going to opthamologist for many years and use 3 drops. All other tests normal. Pressure goes up and down. Maybe I will have laser to reduce pressure. I'm in my 80s (male) and wonder who said these were the "Golden Years?"
More and more ailments with each passing moment.
(Can men post on this forum?)

I have had slightly raised eye pressures for many years, usually 23/24, but, thankfully, my optic nerve has always been fine. Last year, while at an eye clinic for another problem, the pressure in my right eye measured 28, which was rather concerning. These results were always using the puff of air test. The doctor then used a tonometer and this showed 18 in both eyes! So, I'm left rather confused about the accuracy of these tests and now wondering if my pressures have been normal all along!

Welshwife My glaucoma was picked up during a routine opticians appointment. I had been having chick-fil-a every 2 years so I was shocked to be told that I had already lost some peripheral vision in both eyes and a small area of central vision in the right eye. I was immediately given diamox tablets and drops to lower the pressures. The drops and the timings of using them have been adjusted several times and I will probably be using them for life. Laser Irridotomies are the next step. I had also had my cataracts removed and a small operation (viscogonioplasty) done at the same time to help widen the angles of the drainage tubes. Apparently artificial lenses are thinner than natural ones so that helps as well. I understand there is another option called a trabeculectomy that can be done if all this still doesn't work. Sorry I've probably given you too much information! I'm sure not everybody needs this much intervention. One thing I would say is important is to have a good consultant that you trust and get on well with.

Hello Goldengirl. I know how you felt. My imagination ran wild when the consultant told me what he was going to do, I could've believe it when after about 10 minutes of watching what looked like very pretty red lights he told me he had finished. It has helped with my eye pressures (16 in both eyes compared with 28 a year ago) but I have a kind of glaucoma that is difficult to treat so I may meet further surgery later on. I have also had cataract surgery in both eyes. How upsetting for you that the cataract surgery caused the glaucoma. It's only in the past year that I have realised how complicated our eyes are, and of course they are very precious. However I have also learnt how much doctors can do these days. Good luck with what ever treatment you are given.

Grandma60 I don't know the medical term but it's reassuring to know it's painless should I need it. Nonetheless I'm worried about possible problems The reason I've got glaucoma is one eye is due to a problem from one of my cataract operations. Devil and the Deep Blue Sea scenario!

Nellie I was very surprised about the cupping not getting worse - I gathered that they watch to see if it gets progressively more pronounced. I only take the drops for pressure once a day but have known other people take them twice. I also know that the pressure is only one symptom of glaucoma - if you are found to have glaucoma does anyone know what the treatment is?

I have been taking drops for glaucoma fot 17 years, some years ago the pressure in one eye got higher and I now take a second type of drop in that eye, and it has not got any worse. Once diagnosed you are legally obliged to declare it to DVLC if you drive, and thereafter have to take a special field test to renew your license every three years. So far I have passed this with full marks, but I do not drive in the dark as I see halos around all the lights.

Welshwife All the females in our family have had glaucoma. The "cupping" in my eye was noted several years ago and I have been using Timoptol drops for years.

What I have is sometimes described as "normal tension" Glaucoma however the eye drops keep my pressure down to 14. when this was first noted it was around 21.

Golden girl - I was at the eye hospital only last week for something quite different, but while doing the interminable wait, spoke to two different people who had had irridotomies the previous afternoon. Both said it was totally painless and looking at their eyes, there was no visible sign - no bruising, no bloodshot whites.
Good luck.

Goldengirl When you mentioned "poking a hole in the eyeball" do you mean a laser irridotomy? If so, please don't worry. I have had them in both eyes. They only took about 10 minutes and were completely painless

I have wet AMD and have had the injections monthly for a year. they really are not too bad. However I also had laser treatment in conjunction with dye and my condition is getting better.

We have a friend who has macular degeneration - I think the wet sort - it is the one which can be treated. They now have a new treatment which involves injections into the eye - he says having them is fine but I am not sure I would find it so! He goes about once a month and is monitored to see if he is still getting benefit from these injections - he must have had about 9 by now and his amount of vision has improved. They are astronomically expensive but the cost does not seem to be a problem here in France.
A few years ago he had some laser treatment which restored much of his sight at the time - it was to do with retina bleed.

I.m like you goldengirl .. the thought of eye surgery puts me into a complete panic....I must not think of it !
Charleygirl that is useful to know that maybe I could get the Macushield (or whatever ) on prescription as I now have a copy of the letter from the consultant to my gp saying that I do have the beginning of macular degeneration.
Oh the complete joys of getting older....it's no fun. I have other physical problems (don't we all ) and yet this now something else to worry about .

Good to hear from everyone and to know I'm not alone with this.

My next appt is on 8th Dec so I have everything crossed that the pressures will at least have come down a bit.

If you have diagnosed Macular Degeneration as I have, there is no reason why you cannot get the drugs on prescription. I was prescribed Viteyes by my consultant at Moorfields. Mine is 3 monthly.

Thanks to an optician I was found to have the beginnings of glaucoma but fortunately only in one eye. I have drops to alleviate the pressure - Lumigan and Azarga - which I've been using for a few years now. My consultant whom I see regularly says that the pressure is now stable but if it rises again I should consider an operation which scares me to death. I've already had cataract operations which were OK but poking a hole in the eyeball to release pressure does NOT sound fun and it could go wrong of course - I'm the perfect pessimist All I can say is 'keep your eye on the ball'and keep up the visits.

As far as I can tell it must be the 'go to' bottle of drops the doctors prescribe - both in UK and France the medics know all about it (Lanaprost is the generic one). The eye clinic was not at all happy with my pressure being 27 --- the pressure does vary but only by a few points - mid teens is considered good.

I decided to start taking Macushield a while ago on advice from my optician. Can't say I've noticed any difference, but as it is preventative, I didn't expect to. As said. the cheapest I found was the 3 for 2 offer from Boots.

Yes Tegan I've seen there are two Macushields, the other is Macushield gold which contains zinc and copper and vitamins I think - but maybe not necessarily any better. I believe that I can't get it on prescription here sadly.

Not heard of Xalatan Welshwife so maybe I'll ask the consultant when I see her again in 6 weeks.... but of course she may have suggestions for me anyway.

Thanks for the responses

I've been seen recently thanks for your concern. I will go back in six months. I think pressures vary so often they don't automatically put you on drops.

I was sent to the hospital eye clinic about six years ago because of high pressure in the eyes - it was 27. I was put on Xalatan (Lanaprost) once a day and within four months my pressure was down to 14. It is not unusual for the eye pressures to vary from day to day or to have a different one in each eye. I have been back to the same clinic now approximately every six months for tests and also to have my eyes examined with an OCT machine to see if I am developing glaucoma. I last went to the clinic about a month ago and was told that they do not think I am developing glaucoma but that I have always had a slight difference in the shape of the end of the optic nerve (they call it cupping) but it was only discovered when they started looking at muppets eyes with these special machines - when you are younger they do not need to examine you in this way unless there is a problem. You can buy Xalatan but I am given a bottle a month on prescription.

There are two Macushields; one has a lot more in it than the other and costs more but for eye health the cheaper one is ok [I think]. It's still @ £17 but sometimes you can get it 3 for 2 at Boots. I do alternate it with the Boots own brand sometimes. Could you not get it on prescription? I know when I worked at the doctors there was some in the dispensary, so some people must have had it on prescription.