Hi buffy, and others,

When is the right time to have a glaucoma operation?
And why?

mollwollfumble said:

Hi buffy, and others,

When is the right time to have a glaucoma operation?
And why?

Do you mean cataract? The most usual treatment for glaucoma is drops in the first instance.

as quickly as it starts so the damage isn’t done

At the risk of stating the obvious you should address these questions to a physician who is fully aware of the details of your case

SCIENCE said:

as quickly as it starts so the damage isn’t done

Both cataract and glaucoma are slow. Cataract starts from early middle age (or probably earlier depending on how you want to define it) and surgery is indicated when vision is compromised. Cataract is simply haziness of the lens and the lens very slowly hazes up over a lifetime. It just happens faster in some people than others.

Glaucoma can take many, many years and there is a school of thought that it is so slow that if it is not diagnosed before the age of about 80 – ie there is no vision deficit measurable in terms of field loss – putting people on drops every day for the rest of their lives may not really be necessary. The problem with glaucoma is that the person with the disease very often has no idea they have it until there is some damage evident to the person looking for it – not the patient. Glaucoma does not seriously affect your central detail vision until quite late in the piece. It does close in your side/peripheral vision. There are a few people who have fast progression glaucoma but they are relatively rare and usually have a very serious family history to go with it.

dv said:

At the risk of stating the obvious you should address these questions to a physician who is fully aware of the details of your case

This. Also, there is quite a difference in seriousness of glaucoma and cataract. We need to know if glaucoma is in fact what moll is talking about. Because if you are to the point of surgery being suggested for glaucoma you would have had quite a lot of discussions with your practitioner for quite a long time already and probably have been on treatment for some years.

oops guess internet is wrong

Acute angle-closure glaucoma is an ophthalmic emergency as it can lead to irreversible blindness if not identified and treated immediately.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6253313/

I have been diagnosed with cataracts, but no sign of glaucoma. As I don’t possess private health insurance, operation for removal has been scheduled at Horsham Hospital. Could be a wait for up to a year I’m told.This all diagnosed and arranged by Eye Specialist at Ballarat.

SCIENCE said:

oops guess internet is wrong

Acute angle-closure glaucoma is an ophthalmic emergency as it can lead to irreversible blindness if not identified and treated immediately.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6253313/

You know if you’ve got acute glaucoma. The pain is bad enough to make you vomit. I saw it once in my practising life. It was unmistakeable.

buffy said:

SCIENCE said:

as quickly as it starts so the damage isn’t done

Both cataract and glaucoma are slow. Cataract starts from early middle age (or probably earlier depending on how you want to define it) and surgery is indicated when vision is compromised. Cataract is simply haziness of the lens and the lens very slowly hazes up over a lifetime. It just happens faster in some people than others.

Glaucoma can take many, many years and there is a school of thought that it is so slow that if it is not diagnosed before the age of about 80 – ie there is no vision deficit measurable in terms of field loss – putting people on drops every day for the rest of their lives may not really be necessary. The problem with glaucoma is that the person with the disease very often has no idea they have it until there is some damage evident to the person looking for it – not the patient. Glaucoma does not seriously affect your central detail vision until quite late in the piece. It does close in your side/peripheral vision. There are a few people who have fast progression glaucoma but they are relatively rare and usually have a very serious family history to go with it.

Ta.

Mrs m has just been diagnosed with glaucoma for the first time in just one eye, and the specialist is recommending immediate laser surgery for it in both eyes. Laser peripheral iridotomy for narrow angle glaucoma.

This is specialist who I do not trust. eg. once he mis-diagnosed me, and today he told mrs m that she is short-sighted when she is really long-sighted. He did not say what the glaucoma pressure is.

mollwollfumble said:

buffy said:

SCIENCE said:

as quickly as it starts so the damage isn’t done

Both cataract and glaucoma are slow. Cataract starts from early middle age (or probably earlier depending on how you want to define it) and surgery is indicated when vision is compromised. Cataract is simply haziness of the lens and the lens very slowly hazes up over a lifetime. It just happens faster in some people than others.

Glaucoma can take many, many years and there is a school of thought that it is so slow that if it is not diagnosed before the age of about 80 – ie there is no vision deficit measurable in terms of field loss – putting people on drops every day for the rest of their lives may not really be necessary. The problem with glaucoma is that the person with the disease very often has no idea they have it until there is some damage evident to the person looking for it – not the patient. Glaucoma does not seriously affect your central detail vision until quite late in the piece. It does close in your side/peripheral vision. There are a few people who have fast progression glaucoma but they are relatively rare and usually have a very serious family history to go with it.

Ta.

Mrs m has just been diagnosed with glaucoma for the first time in just one eye, and the specialist is recommending immediate laser surgery for it in both eyes. Laser peripheral iridotomy for narrow angle glaucoma.

This is specialist who I do not trust. eg. once he mis-diagnosed me, and today he told mrs m that she is short-sighted when she is really long-sighted. He did not say what the glaucoma pressure is.

Mr Speedy had this laser surgery (iridctomy) as he was told he was at risk of ‘angle-closure glaucoma’. He regrets ever having it and complains about light flare. It doesn’t help that his specialist insisted that he have 6-monthly follow-up appts and that when she was away, another specialist explained to him that he likely didn’t need the surgery in the first place. Get a second opinion.

mollwollfumble said:

buffy said:

SCIENCE said:

as quickly as it starts so the damage isn’t done

Both cataract and glaucoma are slow. Cataract starts from early middle age (or probably earlier depending on how you want to define it) and surgery is indicated when vision is compromised. Cataract is simply haziness of the lens and the lens very slowly hazes up over a lifetime. It just happens faster in some people than others.

Glaucoma can take many, many years and there is a school of thought that it is so slow that if it is not diagnosed before the age of about 80 – ie there is no vision deficit measurable in terms of field loss – putting people on drops every day for the rest of their lives may not really be necessary. The problem with glaucoma is that the person with the disease very often has no idea they have it until there is some damage evident to the person looking for it – not the patient. Glaucoma does not seriously affect your central detail vision until quite late in the piece. It does close in your side/peripheral vision. There are a few people who have fast progression glaucoma but they are relatively rare and usually have a very serious family history to go with it.

Ta.

Mrs m has just been diagnosed with glaucoma for the first time in just one eye, and the specialist is recommending immediate laser surgery for it in both eyes. Laser peripheral iridotomy for narrow angle glaucoma.

This is specialist who I do not trust. eg. once he mis-diagnosed me, and today he told mrs m that she is short-sighted when she is really long-sighted. He did not say what the glaucoma pressure is.

OK, yes that is done sometimes. I think I’m with speedy though, I think a second opinion might be a Good Thing. There is a lot of disagreement amongst specialists about when to do it. Narrow angle glaucoma is not particularly common. Does she have a family history?

I don’t have glaucomas. But my opthamologist told me that next visit if my eyes are still having bleeds we will have to have needles in our eyes.

I said next visit eh? And just left. The thought of being awake and having needles descending into my eyes absolutely terrifies me…. Next visit eh? Check mate!

I didn’t really walk out but ima be honest I almost did.

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

I don’t have glaucomas. But my opthamologist told me that next visit if my eyes are still having bleeds we will have to have needles in our eyes.

I said next visit eh? And just left. The thought of being awake and having needles descending into my eyes absolutely terrifies me…. Next visit eh? Check mate!

I didn’t really walk out but ima be honest I almost did.

Have a chat to p_p about needles in eye. He gets one every month. doesn’t need it he just gets off on the pain.

JudgeMental said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

I don’t have glaucomas. But my opthamologist told me that next visit if my eyes are still having bleeds we will have to have needles in our eyes.

I said next visit eh? And just left. The thought of being awake and having needles descending into my eyes absolutely terrifies me…. Next visit eh? Check mate!

I didn’t really walk out but ima be honest I almost did.

Have a chat to p_p about needles in eye. He gets one every month. doesn’t need it he just gets off on the pain.

giggle

JudgeMental said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

I don’t have glaucomas. But my opthamologist told me that next visit if my eyes are still having bleeds we will have to have needles in our eyes.

I said next visit eh? And just left. The thought of being awake and having needles descending into my eyes absolutely terrifies me…. Next visit eh? Check mate!

I didn’t really walk out but ima be honest I almost did.

Have a chat to p_p about needles in eye. He gets one every month. doesn’t need it he just gets off on the pain.

Shudder.

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

JudgeMental said:

Trevtaowillgetyounowhere said:

I don’t have glaucomas. But my opthamologist told me that next visit if my eyes are still having bleeds we will have to have needles in our eyes.

I said next visit eh? And just left. The thought of being awake and having needles descending into my eyes absolutely terrifies me…. Next visit eh? Check mate!

I didn’t really walk out but ima be honest I almost did.

Have a chat to p_p about needles in eye. He gets one every month. doesn’t need it he just gets off on the pain.

Shudder.

I agree, absolutely!

Even the thought gives me the creeps!

Speedy said:

mollwollfumble said:

buffy said:

Both cataract and glaucoma are slow. Cataract starts from early middle age (or probably earlier depending on how you want to define it) and surgery is indicated when vision is compromised. Cataract is simply haziness of the lens and the lens very slowly hazes up over a lifetime. It just happens faster in some people than others.

Glaucoma can take many, many years and there is a school of thought that it is so slow that if it is not diagnosed before the age of about 80 – ie there is no vision deficit measurable in terms of field loss – putting people on drops every day for the rest of their lives may not really be necessary. The problem with glaucoma is that the person with the disease very often has no idea they have it until there is some damage evident to the person looking for it – not the patient. Glaucoma does not seriously affect your central detail vision until quite late in the piece. It does close in your side/peripheral vision. There are a few people who have fast progression glaucoma but they are relatively rare and usually have a very serious family history to go with it.

Ta.

Mrs m has just been diagnosed with glaucoma for the first time in just one eye, and the specialist is recommending immediate laser surgery for it in both eyes. Laser peripheral iridotomy for narrow angle glaucoma.

This is specialist who I do not trust. eg. once he mis-diagnosed me, and today he told mrs m that she is short-sighted when she is really long-sighted. He did not say what the glaucoma pressure is.

Mr Speedy had this laser surgery (iridctomy) as he was told he was at risk of ‘angle-closure glaucoma’. He regrets ever having it and complains about light flare. It doesn’t help that his specialist insisted that he have 6-monthly follow-up appts and that when she was away, another specialist explained to him that he likely didn’t need the surgery in the first place. Get a second opinion.

> OK, yes that is done sometimes. I think I’m with speedy though, I think a second opinion might be a Good Thing. There is a lot of disagreement amongst specialists about when to do it. Narrow angle glaucoma is not particularly common. Does she have a family history?

Thanks speedy and buffy. Our next step is to find out if either her much older siblings have had glaucoma. It hasn’t been mentioned before in family discussions. Then get a second opinion.

mrs m has no eye pain or loss of peripheral vision. I suspect very mild pressure build-up but we haven’t been told.

mrs m has recently paid $1400 for two new pairs of glasses. She is only +1.00 in both eyes with negligible cyl.
We both think that she’s been badly overcharged.

mollwollfumble said:

Speedy said:

mollwollfumble said:

Ta.

Mrs m has just been diagnosed with glaucoma for the first time in just one eye, and the specialist is recommending immediate laser surgery for it in both eyes. Laser peripheral iridotomy for narrow angle glaucoma.

This is specialist who I do not trust. eg. once he mis-diagnosed me, and today he told mrs m that she is short-sighted when she is really long-sighted. He did not say what the glaucoma pressure is.

Mr Speedy had this laser surgery (iridctomy) as he was told he was at risk of ‘angle-closure glaucoma’. He regrets ever having it and complains about light flare. It doesn’t help that his specialist insisted that he have 6-monthly follow-up appts and that when she was away, another specialist explained to him that he likely didn’t need the surgery in the first place. Get a second opinion.

> OK, yes that is done sometimes. I think I’m with speedy though, I think a second opinion might be a Good Thing. There is a lot of disagreement amongst specialists about when to do it. Narrow angle glaucoma is not particularly common. Does she have a family history?

Thanks speedy and buffy. Our next step is to find out if either her much older siblings have had glaucoma. It hasn’t been mentioned before in family discussions. Then get a second opinion.

mrs m has no eye pain or loss of peripheral vision. I suspect very mild pressure build-up but we haven’t been told.

mrs m has recently paid $1400 for two new pairs of glasses. She is only +1.00 in both eyes with negligible cyl.
We both think that she’s been badly overcharged.

Get that second opinion. You don’t seem to have enough information.