Glaucoma laser treatment
Posted , 2 users are following.
Has anyone tried IRIDEX laser treatment for glaucoma, and if so, how successful was it?
0 likes, 3 replies
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Notes on Glaucoma laser treatment
elizabeth85938 ros94027
Posted
May I ask why you are considering this treatment privately? In my experience with the NHS Eye Clinics any Glaucoma patient who goes outside their expertise may find themselves out on a limb where any further treatment is needed. If you need laser eye treatment they will eventually offer this after normal treatments to keep IOP down fails. My glaucoma was sudden onset and IOP in my right eye was 58 - I was 2/3 hrs away from going blind and had emergency laser eye surgery within hours when I was admitted. After several follow-up appointments and chatting to others in the waiting room I soon gained the impression that although patients hated ongoing use of eye drops they preferred to stick with the NHS. One lady in particular told me that she had raised the subject of getting Iridex laser treatment with her Specialist Registrar and was told that if she did no ongoing treatment would be offered to her on the NHS. Eye Clinics are, I know, are overcrowded and waiting times are often a problem but it is worth a thought before taking the decision to go privately then to find your Eye Clinic assume you will be getting ongoing private treatment and discharge you. If you do decide to go ahead I hope that it will work for you and all will be well. Perhaps others will post who have had same treatment and then you will be able to make a more informed decision. I wish you well and do let us know how things go for you.
ros94027 elizabeth85938
Posted
Thanks, Elizabeth, for you response. I really appreciate it. I am not in the UK, though, so won't be using NHS, unfortunately. I had SLX laser about a year ago, which worked at first, but now the pressure is up again. As the pressure is just in one eye at the moment, my doctor thought another laser treatment would be worth trying, but as IRIDEX is new and I can't seem to find anything about it on the internet, I thought I'd ask if anyone had had any experience of it. Glad to hear your 58 pressure was sorted out!
elizabeth85938 ros94027
Posted
Sorry Ros, there was no indication that you were not based in the UK, so forgive my assumption. Gosh, I do hope you are able to get replies that will be helpful but little is known about Iridex here as yet. My form of glaucoma is so very rare and was triggered by taking Amitriptyline (for neuropathic pain). Within 20 hours of sudden eye watering, followed quickly by the most intense pain in the outer right eye, plus loss of sight in same eye, I went to my GP and was sent immediately to Hospital as an extreme emergency. Our NHS is just wonderful in emergencies and my sight was saved just in time. Now I have trouble getting follow-up appts but our system does work most of the time. Sorry I can't help you further but hope all works out for you in the future.