BLEPHARITIS AND GLAUCOMA

Thank you for your reply.  As I mentioned I have been under the eye hospital for many years with higher ocular pressures but no damage to eyes.  Pressure anything from 22 to 29 over several years.  I was discharged around 2006 but was referred back to the eye clinic in 2011 for cataracts and high pressures.  I had mild blep for years but it got worse around 2010/11 coinciding with increasing pressures.  I would not be able to take timolol as it is a beta blocker (asthma).  If you do at any time have to back on eye drops, and I hope you don't please do let me know how your eyes react.  Also I have heard that

cataract surgery can lower the eye pressure but I don't know if it is a temporary thing.  I go to the glaucaoma clinic on Monday.

Hi,

Yes the cateact operation was done in my case in the hope of lowering my high eye presure and also to create more space due to my narrow Angels which agian could raise the eye presure and makes one more prone to having a acut closer,I am happy to say I also had no optic nerve damage.I did wear glasses before  the ops I had a a torish lens fitted  I was astigmatic,now  I just need reading glasses since my distance vision is very good.

I was so happy to come off the Timolol eye drops used them for aprox 5 mounths or so,they only brought my eye presure down to L24 R23 so I was over the moon when by December my eye presure had gone down to 17 16 

I had the operations in September 2014.

good luck monday let me know how you get on.

Regards Vanessa.

Hello Vanessa,  Just to let you know I went to eye clinic yesterday thing much the same,  right eye no problems, left eye early glaucoma.  They have decided that I should have laser treatment on this eye, as I have trouble with side effects from eye drops.  The consultant said that whilst he can't guarantee it will work he is hopeful in my case it will and this could delay eye drops for a few years, so I am hopeful.  The bleph though is not as good as it could be, well I knew I was having a flare up, so had better work harder at the cleaning regime.  By the way the doctor did say that cataract surgery does lower  the eye pressures and it can be temporary or last longer.  Mine were right eye 16 and left 20

late afternoon appointment.  No sure how long I will have to wait for the laser treatment one doctor said 2 weeks the other 2 months, anyway will let you know how it goes.  Next thing I have is orthopaedic app Thursday and ENT next month not to mention husband various hospital clinic appointments.  Never ending still we have our grandsons 18th to look forward to at the weekend.  Thank you again

Carol

Hi Carol,

nice to hear from you,is the laser going to be a irrridottomy ? I had that done 

before the lens replacement ops your eye presure is less than mine was (34 28)16 and 20 I have been told are ok,however if you have optic damage that may be another story.

i do hope my presur stays down since I do not want to use eye meds is posible.

I have a book thAt I think may be of help to you.

The eye care reverlution by Robert Abdel he gives good advise.

Enjoy the party,take care 

Vanessa.

Hi Vanessa,  No it is not an irridottomy.  the leaflet they gave me says it is SLT, selective laser trabeculopasty, and it used for patients with open angle glaucoma in the early stages or where drugs fail or in combination with eye drops, and it is done to improve drainage of fluid. 

With regard to eye pressure number mine seem fine at 16 and 20 but there is evidence of slight damage in the left eye but does not affect my sight as yet.  I may have mentioned I was under the eye hospital Moorfields from 1999 until 2005.  My eye pressures varied from 21/22 up to 29 often in the mid 20's.  They decided to discharge me after several years as there was never any change to the optic nerve.  Around 2012 after visiting my optician when my blepharitis was really bad my eye pressures 32 and34, although I know the puffer thing they use in the opticians are often higher.  I was referred back to Moorfields for pressures, cataracts and chalazion removal.  The chalazion healed on it's own and as you know I eventually had the cataract surgery in 2012 and 2014.  It was found at the first visit that although the pressure  still in the 20's there was some very early damage in the left eye.

I assume it might have been caused by that period of higher pressures, but I am not really sure.  I was tried on Xalatan but it affected my asthma.  So they decided to keep me off the drops and just see me regularly.  There was talk of  the same laser surgery being done after the cataracts were removed.  From what I can tell from them the early damage has not got worse which Is why I have got away without any treatment, and yes the pressures are much lower at the moment which is probably due to the cataract surgery.  Like you I don't want to go on eye drops if at all possible so I hope that the pressure will remain the same for the moment and that the laser will work and reduce them further.  Sorry to go on a bit but I thought I would explain how I have got to where I am now at 67 years of age.  I will certainly google the book you mention by Robert Abdel.  At the moment I am hobbling around as last night I stepped on an old cake cooling rack which I left at my daughters and brought home.  Silly me should have picked it up straight away.  It is only a very tiny wound but did it bleed. My husband said when mopping it up it is like murder scene, exaggerating a bit of course.

It is really sore so hope I will be able to walk ok on Saturday.  Of course hobbling about has set off the arthritis in my knee and back.  Oh well never mind am going to orthpaedic clinic tomorrow so I can have a moan at them.

Take care

Carol

Hi 

oh dear hope it gets better soon.

I have heard about the SLT i on the other hand due to having narrow Angels 

was more at risk of having an angel closer so the irrridottomy was done to help the fluid drian away and the new lenses being thiner  have opend up my angels,I was lucky hope to stay in good eye health, the book is very good in particular the alternative treatments section since I prefer no meds he is in America which is a shame I would have liked to have seen him.

 I am a creaky 61 years also have artheritis  if I remember the book talks about arthritis and eye problems often being connected,for both problems geting inflammation down is very important so I am working on that.

Take care

Vanessa.

Hi,  Yes I agree with you I have long felt that lots of different health problems are related.  As well as arthritis in knees,neck and spine I have an underactive thyroid, IBS, high BP and I also suffer from anxiety which does not help any health problem.  I think maybe modern living and stress plus diet don't help.  I am far from perfect wwith my diet,

but I think you are right about inflammation.  Oh the opthalmoligist did suggest flax seed oil capsules for belpharitis, so I might try them.  I hate oily fish and that is supposed to be good for the joints, omega 3 etc.

Anyway I wish you well and will let you know how the laser treatment goes.

Carol

Hi Vanessa, Just an update had the laser treatment 12 weeks ago.  Went for a check up today and sadly the laser has not worked ocular pressure

was 23 when the nurse checked it the same as before the laser treatment,

although the doctor also checked and got 20 in each eye.  Apparently they want it to be mid to late teens a safer level.  I only have early glaucoma.  The right eye is ok at the moment as there are no signs of glaucoma although the pressure in higher than normal.  They wanted to do more surgery putting stunts in the eye for the drainage, but said that like the laser is may not work.  Have decided to leave it at the moment

as I am fed up with all the surgery.  Have started back on Azopt drops

1st dose this evening my eye is already burning.  They said if these cause too many side effects (they did affect me last time) then I can try Xalatan preservative free.  As you can imagine I am disappointed the laser did not work was hoping it woujld give a while without eye drops.

Oh well will just have to try and persevere but when you have blepharitis

you already start out with senstive eyes never mind the drops.  

How are you?  I hope you are still off the drops and your pressures are stable and the bleph of course.  Do let me knopw how you are going on.

Carol

 

Hi Vanessa following the first dose of Azopt and some burning sensation things seem to have settled down.  I think the burning may have been because my eyes were sore from the examination at the eye clinic which nearly always happens.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that side effects won't suddenly appear.  I am putting my finger over the eye near the nose as advised and am doing it for 3 minutes although the doctor said 30 secs is enough someone I read about some time ago suggested 3 minutes.  I also take a damp cotton wool pad and wipe it over the eyelashes to mop up any residue hoping this will help. I may be going over the top but it does seem to be working ok.  Hope you are ok.  My anxiety is much improved and I am working on keeping it that way as I know my health suffers ( IBS, sleep aches and pains etc) when I become anxious ot stressed.

dear Carol,

sorry to to hear you are still having problems with your eye pressure,the laser treatment I had was an iridottomy it dose not lower eye pressure lower pressure that is why  after that I had  lens replasements since the new lenses are thinner and in my case due to having narrow Angels would creat more space and the holes help draining

happy to say so fare so good no meds eye pressure still ok last check was in June,I have to go back at the end of the year so fingers crossed.

My blep is ok at the mo bit of probs my eye are very dry and ache a bit use dry eye drops lid hygiene.

I hope thing get better for you very soon Carol.

Regards Vanessa.

Thank you.  Fingers crossed pressures will be ok when you go back later this year.

Best wishes

Carol