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I shouldn't really even be posting, because I had a full eye exam a couple of hours ago and was dilated and am still not seeing very well. But I'm feeling a bit knocked sideways and wanted to vent
I had cataract surgery in one eye about 13 years ago and have known for some time that I have "issues" with pressure in my eyes, namely glaucoma. But I've been seeing an eye specialist every six months, and he's been telling me that everything's fine. About a year and a half ago, I had a special laser test to measure damage to the optic nerve and the specialist told me that a "very small amount" of damage was showing and that I needed to be vigilant about using the meds I'm on, but no big cause for concern.
Flash forward to today. Please note - about a year later. In this time, original specialist has retired and I have a new one, with flashy computerized equipment and photographs of back of the eye. HE tells me that I have virtually no optic nerve left. That I must NEVER, repeat NEVER miss a dose of the medication or there's serious risk of losing my sight. And that I have a cataract starting in my other eye, so am facing surgery again (not immediately, and would be no big deal except I had some complications last time which makes me a bit fearful).
All this is the kind of thing that a surgeon of that kind would be telling an 80-year old. I'm 54. I've already had a hip replacement, too! I feel like my body is seriously letting me down. I also feel like I've been badly let down by last surgeon who was a lovely, gentlemanly man but didn't have all the latest equipment. How could I go from only a little damage to virtually no optic nerve left in just over a year??
And my other hip is hurting.
Bleah.
Bleah.
Bleah.
I had cataract surgery in one eye about 13 years ago and have known for some time that I have "issues" with pressure in my eyes, namely glaucoma. But I've been seeing an eye specialist every six months, and he's been telling me that everything's fine. About a year and a half ago, I had a special laser test to measure damage to the optic nerve and the specialist told me that a "very small amount" of damage was showing and that I needed to be vigilant about using the meds I'm on, but no big cause for concern.
Flash forward to today. Please note - about a year later. In this time, original specialist has retired and I have a new one, with flashy computerized equipment and photographs of back of the eye. HE tells me that I have virtually no optic nerve left. That I must NEVER, repeat NEVER miss a dose of the medication or there's serious risk of losing my sight. And that I have a cataract starting in my other eye, so am facing surgery again (not immediately, and would be no big deal except I had some complications last time which makes me a bit fearful).
All this is the kind of thing that a surgeon of that kind would be telling an 80-year old. I'm 54. I've already had a hip replacement, too! I feel like my body is seriously letting me down. I also feel like I've been badly let down by last surgeon who was a lovely, gentlemanly man but didn't have all the latest equipment. How could I go from only a little damage to virtually no optic nerve left in just over a year??
And my other hip is hurting.
Bleah.
Bleah.
Bleah.
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Please do get a 2nd opinion. He could have all the fancy equipment in the world but could be reading the pictures incorrectly, or developing them incorrectly. It's hard to believe such drastic degradation could occur without any other symptoms, even though you have frequent checkups.
Good luck, and please let us know!
And many {{{hugs}}}.