It was just supposed to be your average visit.
I'd been through the drill before:
"Which looks clearer, #1 or #2?"
"Better, or worse?"
My main concern was that my prescription would be so strong I'd be able to see a few minutes into the future.
But I didn't expect what happened next.
The doctor told me not to worry...the puff test concerned him a bit, so he was scheduling another test.
A few days later, I took the second test. The results...weren't comforting.
I got sent to a specialist. After some more futzing around with my eyes, the verdict was in.
Glaucoma.
[You can lean more about Glaucoma here and here.]
To my credit, I didn't immediately fall to my knees and curse my Creator; nor did I revert to the fetal position and go catatonic. My doctor, who had no doubt done this many times before, laid out my options.
I could go with eyedrops, which I would have to take for the rest of my days.
Or, I could undergo Selective Laser Trabeculectomy. The major advantage to the laser treatment is the fact the effects could last for up to five years.
In less than 48 hours, I'll be going in for the SLT.
I'm honestly not sure why I'm writing about this. It's not for the attention[I think]. I could have easily sent out an email to my friends. I guess I don't want anyone else going through that shock. If I hadn't gone in for new glasses, I wouldn't have ever found out, and since Glaucoma has no symptoms, by the time a person's vsion is truly affected, it might be too late. And it's not just the elderly who have it either. Bottom line: Get Tested.
Unfortunately, I have lost some peripheral vision, but the SLT will help me keep the vision I have. It's a good thing, too.
There's a bunch of stuff I haven't seen yet.
Courage,
Mike G.
2 comments:
Well, while not as serious, I can sympathizer with your plight. Doing the same thing (getting my glasses strengthened as they no longer worked), I was diagnosed with Keratoconus. A little Google search will show that it is a progressive disease where the cornea thins and begins to bulge into a cone-like shape. Light gets deflected as it enters the eye and causes distorted vision. Ultimately, the condition is repaired with a cornea transplant. So, cheers to us and our shitty vision.
My SO has poor vision; in the future he may have to deal with the retianl nerve detatching, iirc. I hope it never happens. That said, I'm really sorry to hear this news. Best of luck when you go under the laser. Take care.
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