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90% optic nerve damage at 45 years old

Posted , 6 users are following.

duncan03443
duncan03443

I was diagnosed 3 years ago with chronic nerve damage (open angle).  Having been on drops to lower my pressure it now appears I have to go in for a Trab.  My worry is what happens when the Trab no longer works, am I just going to lose what sight I have left.  I feel for all others with this dreadful disease.  Any advice from others in similar position most welcome 

Duncan

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • dambudzo
    dambudzo duncan03443

    Posted

    Hi Duncan

    Do you know how long it takes before the trabulectomy stops working? 

    Presumably you'd be monitored up to then and put on drops again or have the trabulectomy redone?

    I haven't had a trabulectomy yet but it's been mentioned as a possibility.

    Wishing you all the best

     

  • lester19220
    lester19220 duncan03443

    Posted

    The Dr. that put you on drops should have checked it periodically. If it was not working it could have been changed. Suggest you seek another opinion preferably at a hospital opthalmiology department.
  • jean68130
    jean68130 duncan03443

    Posted

    Hi Duncan, I know what you are going through. I had Pseudo Exfoliation Glaucoma and was on drops for many years but they did not help - the pressure kept rising. Eventually I had to have the op on both eyes to save my sight and I have never looked back (excuse the pun). Now I only have to wear glasses for reading and my eye sight is great AND I am a very very mature lady so that says it all. Go for the op - the sooner the better.

    Good Luck

    J.

  • Midwales
    Midwales duncan03443

    Posted

    Hi, was diagnosed with advanced glaucoma 6 years ago and like you with 90% optic nerve damage, was thought I had gone a decade with pressure around 30 that caused the damage, started on drops but after 3 years they were not keeping the pressure down, so in 2015 had grab surgery, about 15 months later had to have the trans needled to get them working again, there are still options should a trab fail, needling to open back up the body or a valve such as Ahmed shunt. You must follow your eye doctors advice, we are thought to be within a decade of finding a cure for glaucoma so it is important to keep what sight you have until a cure is possible.
    • duncan03443
      duncan03443 Midwales

      Posted

      It’s nice to hear from you. My story appears to be very similar to your own.  Is your peripheral vision really poor?  
    • Midwales
      Midwales duncan03443

      Posted

      Hi, my peripheral vision is okay as far as I can tell, but I do miss small outer areas on the field test, but from me looking around I can not tell, if I look at an amsler grid which you can view online I am in the last 3 years starting to notice slight distortion on there. Is your peripheral vision noticeable?
    • duncan03443
      duncan03443 Midwales

      Posted

      My peripheral seems fine during daylight, but when it gets dark I am hopeless, bump in to things !  Watching fast ball games on tv can be tricky, now that Andy Murray is getting past it I don’t bother with Tennis anymore, can’t see the ball.  I am terrible at the field vision test at the hospital.  I shall let you know if I have to go for the Trab, looks more than likely it shall happen soon
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