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Just got diagnosed with glaucoma said i need to see a specialist, im devastated please help

Posted , 8 users are following.

dianelou
dianelou

I went for a renewal of my drivers license and flunked the eye test,went to dr. Got a pair of glassess for distance,bad news i have glaucoma and gave to see a specialist, but my appt is not till april,teally i thought time eas of the essence, HELP IM DEVASTATED, IM A 61 YEAR OLD FEMALE

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Alcantara
    Alcantara dianelou

    Posted

    I would have thought they could have arranged it before that.     I would see my GP, and try and press for an earlier appointment with an eye specialist at a hospital.    I assume that you were not aware that anything was wrong, so that is a good sign.   Even if you have glaucoma, they can usually stop it progressing with eyedrops.     Even so - I believe that it is very a slow progression to noticeable sight loss, so probably a few weeks would not make much difference.     If left untreated, the common belief is that the sight loss comes on so slowly that you do not notice it until it is getting quite advanced, and that can take several years.   I found that when I was diagnosed with Glaucoma in 1990, when I got my appointment with a specialist, it was discovered it was not glaucoma,. but high pressure.    Now 28 years later, the hospital still says I do not have glaucoma, and that this has been prevented because they put me on eyedrops 20 years ago!    My GP, on the other hand, has always insisted that I do have glaucoma, but I have to believe either one or the other, so I choose to believe the specialists at the hospital, and put the drops in religiously as they told me all those years ago.       I am now almost 74, and can still see pretty well!   
  • lester90053
    lester90053 dianelou

    Posted

    High eye pressure {IOP} is glaucoma and drops are supposed to lower it. Consult an independent opthalmologist for a second opinion.
    • susie29
      susie29 lester90053

      Posted

      High eye pressure alone is not glaucoma but is a risk factor for it.  Glaucoma is diagnosed when there is optic nerve damage and visual field loss.  You can have glaucoma without raised eye pressure.  I have been treated for raised eye pressure since 2010 and my opthalmologist has prescribed eye drops for me as a precautionary measure and I am happy to say that my pressure has been stable ever since.  I have no loss of vision whatsoever and may optic nerves are undamaged.
  • Alcantara
    Alcantara dianelou

    Posted

    That is what my GP say, but every eye specialist I have seen in the past 28 years has said that I have interocular pressure, but there is no sign of Glaucoma!     But I would agree with seeing a specialist as soon as possible!       
  • Phil1234
    Phil1234 dianelou

    Posted

    It's only actually glaucoma when vision loss occurs or proven optic disc damage, as iop can be high and normal for some people I've been really unlucky and was diagnosed with advanced glaucoma at 34 in my right eye that was just over 3 years ago and it's still progressing I wish I was diagnosed at 61 rather than 34 as the future is very uncertain for me and I have a very young family. It went totally unoticed when I had my eyes checked at 29 then 5 years later and I had 3/4 vision loss. When I was referred by my optician in 2014 I had a 4 month wait to see a specialist this was accelerated after a nurse stepped in and I raised a formal complaint. I think 4 months is the timestamp set by NICE for new referals so it may pay you to try and accelerate the appointment. As others have said is is a slow progression disease but this also depends on your IOP at presentation, I wish you luck

    • Alcantara
      Alcantara Phil1234

      Posted

      I agree with Phil.    The best course of action is to see a specialist at a hospital as soon as possible.      It may not even be glaucoma, but they have all the test equipment and knowledge to find out quickly, and take action.     It is possible to get Glaucoma with normal eye pressure, so pressure alone does not mean that you have it!     There are other conditions that can make you fail the driving eye test, that can actually recover by themselves.   I refer to something called a CSR where liquid gets under the retina and causes distortion.    It usually clears up itself without any medical intervention!    
  • Marina_Dee
    Marina_Dee dianelou

    Posted

    It would depend on the IOPs that your optician has stated in their letter of referral.   Do you know what they were?

     tell your doctor when your appointment has been scheduled and ask if that seems reasonable. 

    Do you have another problem with your eyes if you were going to an optician for renewal of licence? Or do you drive in a special category?

    • dianelou
      dianelou Marina_Dee

      Posted

      I have been prescribed distance glasses now waiting on them also have had reading glasses for years
  • kim11376
    kim11376 dianelou

    Posted

    Hi Diane 

    i am 50 and have recently been diagnosed with acute angle closure glaucoma (I think !) I have had 3 laser treatments so far , in two weeks , due to the pressure in my right eye rising to 54 , it was awful I was violently sick with it and had to wait in A & E for 2 1/2 hours before being seen , please don’t get me wrong I am not knocking our wonderful NHS and the staff behind it but everyone who was getting called in before me seemed to be in no severerity of pain , but anyhow, I like you am devastated at my diagnosis and feel that I’ve been given no support whatsoever , I’ve had no aftercare information given to me , hence why I have joined this group. I am currently on drops to keep the pressure down but only for a week and quite frankly I’m petrified that the pressure will rise again and I have to go through the same awful process , my next appointment is in 10 weeks , it was originally 6 months ! But I kicked up a bit of a stink and voiced my concerns and they agreed to see me earlier , still far to long to be seen I think but not much i can do about that x I’m sorry I’m not being really positive am I but this is how I feel at the moment , I’m devastated , scared and a bit annoyed with the lack of aftercare 

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