CPAPtalk.com

Country4ever - are you using multifocals?

Multifocals only correct our eyesight out front - and the more shortsighted you are, the bigger their inability to correct the periphery. Some lenses are better that others at handling that problem - but even they have a limit when you need higher numbers...

O.

My recent two doctors said that many people are misdagnosed with glaucoma based only on eye pressure. There is a new rule of thinking out there. It's just taking time for some doctors to catch up. Some doctors always want to prescribe to err on the side of caution. That's why we should always question why we are taking anything and question doctors. They are human too.

The drops I took previously were Timoptic. Timoptic is a beta blocker. There are many other side effects involved with that type of drug other than reducing eye pressure. My eye pressures never changed with the drug.

My pressure went down with the drops 2 to 3 points, still a little high, but close. Bleeding in left eye almost quit, it's the right that's in the most trouble. Glasses don't help much, so I use Readers with the computer, some days I have to change strengths, It changes with sugar treatment. Jim

I have been using a cpap for 2 years. I haven't missed a night yet.I decided when i started this that I would be in charge of the machine and not the machine in charge of me.
I was diagnosed with glaucoma about 20 years ago I was first put on betopic for a few months and was later changed to timoptic and used it for 15 years then about 10 years ago i was put on a second eye drop calle xalathan . I had to put timoptic in in the morning and Xalathan in before bed.2 years ago I was taken off both timoptic and xalathan and put on 3 new drugs.I now do azsopt 3time a day aphalgan 3 times a day and lumigan once a day for a total of 14 drops a day. My latest visit my pressures were 17 and 18.I also had laser surgery about 10 years ago and will be doing it again sometime in 2008.I see 20-20 with my eyeglasses.I do not think the cpap and the glaucoma are related. I inherited mine from my mom ,she also had sisters with glaucoma.

Thanks everyone,
Are there side-effects to the drops?
I was reading that increased pressures, without any other symptoms mean that we are at high risk for developing glaucoma. Have those of you who just have high pressures without glaucoma heard that too?
How often do you get your pressures checked? My doc seems to run all those other fancy tests at least once a year.
I sure hope the damage can't happen over night, without warning (other than the pressure).
I think some people just live with "abnormal" findings. Like a high cholesterol.......I think I would have trouble being on a lipid lowering drug, if everything else looked good. But I guess the docs have to have these protocols that treat everyone the same.
I'm just glad my Internist and my eye doctor both use their very sensable heads and rely on their good clinical judgements as far as recommending treatments.
I'm sooooooo sensitive to meds. Do you think if I ever started those drops, I'd get side-effects? The doc says they are very eye-specific.......but knowing me......something weird will happen.
I used to get panic attacks when I would get the dilating liquid. It felt like a shot of adrenalin. I didn't like it at all. I'm doing much better with it now though.
Has anyone ever heard of any connections made with glaucoma.........like exposure to something, other medical conditions, etc.?

at my last check up my eye doctor told me there was some narrowing, could lead to narrow angle glaucoma which my father has--he's also got untreated sleep apnea--so my eye doc is 'keeping an eye on it' so to speak

i'm sure i've read on here (maybe in streaming cpap and apnea news at the top of the page) that glaucoma can be linked to sleep apnea...

Country4ever wrote:I am very aware of the loss of some of my peripheral vision in my every-day life. But according to the tests, I'm doing great. I guess how we perceive our quality of peripheral vision isn't a very good indicator of how good/bad it really is?

There are some very accurate measurement instruments for p. vision.

Hi Oceanpearl,
What I was trying to say was that I've had those sophisticated tests and they say my periperal vision is great..........but I feel like I can't see things to the sides like I used to.
Oz......you might be right. I do wear progressive lenses, so maybe that contributes to feeling like I've lost some side vision.
I think that my mother, brother and I have genetically funky visual sensations. I have tons of floaters, plus at times I can see blood coursing through veins in my eyes. I also can see incredibly cool geometric patterns at night, going round and round. I now have a spot in my vision on my left side. My opthamologist says he doesn't know what it is, since it doesn't fit any pattern with my other findings. I think I'm just incredibly sensitive to visual stimulii. (This may be in line with having fibromyalgia and being TOO sensitive to certain stimulations).
I'm so lucky to have found an eye doc who doesn't roll his eyes when I tell him my "funky visual symptom du jour". I've had those kind before.
So.....have any of you on drops experience any side effects, other than burning when the drops are applied?
This has been an interesting conversation with you all! Thanks!

I haven't thought about there being a coorelation with that. Since I've dealt with multiple eye conditions at birth, and am already at a little risk for retinal detachments, etc. I have good thorough eye exams. I haven't had one since starting xpap either. I've known I've needed to, but hust have not gotten around to doing so. This might make me do that a bit more qyickly, just as a precaution. The last few times my pressure has been normal. Like Slinky, I don't tollerate any leakage around my eyes when I am alert enough to do something about it. My mask is very good about keeping a good seal. My DME RT and my sleep lab RT both reiterated the fact that I needed to be extra careful about leaks around the eyes given my eye conditions, but I've always thought that was because of the dryness and the threat of corneal abrasions. Perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to schedule that exam...