What to do about Eye Pressure & Glaucoma Danger?

Not just the UK. My local medical monopoly has the same situation as you have in the UK. I cannot see any specialist without a referral and then the wait to see the specialist can be several months (although not always). It pisses me off when my GP doesn't see the need for evaluation by a specialist because s/he doesn't understand ME/CFS. I've had to get a referral from my ME/CFS specialist 1000 miles away several times now.

 

Yes SOC I thought Db had gone to see a opthalmic consultant. Didn't realise you had to wait too, thought your system was a bit better than ours in that respect. Worse thing for us is that local health budgets are being transferred to the GP's so they have even more power now - they decide who gets what - scary for me anyway. Mine are useless, not interested @**ses

 

I think medical care varies significantly across the US. Those who are in HMOs or who live in areas with medical monopolies sometimes see situations similar to those you describe -- over-dependence on GPs and difficulty seeing specialists. In other places it can be different.

I, too, find the near absolute power GPs have in some systems scary. Power + arrogance is a very dangerous combination.

 

Thanks Ema ! I hope this convinces my ND.

 

Dreambirdie

Gingko Biloba is suppose to be beneficial for eye health. It can have some mild NRI properties, so if high NE is an issue for you, maybe not such a good idea.

 

Hi Rand56--Please translate NRI and NE for me. Thanks.

 

Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor....and Norepinephrine

 

Thanks Rand56 That's probably why it gives me a headache.
I have never done well with gingko. But I do like the tree in my yard.

 

Every single eyedrop goes systemically into the blood circulation. You will see with steroid and beta blocker and other eyedrops they actually measure the ng/ml to see how much gets into the blood. Punctal occlusion reduces this. That is after the drop goes in close your eye and press your finger to the area between your eye and nose, for at least one minute, preferably 3-5. This will reduce absorption by 30-50% into the blood. If you put the drop into your eye and blink, it's a mechanism your eye has for moving the fluid quickly toward the tear ducts and then into the nasolacrimal area which has a ton of blood vessels, and then directly into the circulation. So, frankly, eyedrops actually go rather easily into the blood within a matter of a minute or two at most.

So taking androgens in the eye you are getting them systemically--perhaps you tolerate them fine, but don't think of them as local only, and use punctal occlusion in the future to get more therapeutic effects in the eye and less systemic effects.

 

I've never heard of punctual occlusion. Good advice.

 

You're right of course. That's why those idiot teenagers were dropping vodka into their eyeballs (and going blind) a while back.

I worded it poorly. What I should have said is that there is not enough DHEA in the eyedrops to make any difference to your systemic level. My drops, for example, have 0.5 mg per mL...and of course 2-4 drops is only a fraction of a mL. I take 25 mg orally of DHEA to get my levels up to age matched controls. Less than half a mg either way doesn't make a hill of beans worth of difference to my overall level.

Ema

 

Ema, that's good for you, but if you read the research of Frederick vom Saal you will find that hormones function at incredibly tiny doses...it probably is affecting you but you don't notice. In addition some people are more sensitive than you are. I would try everything else before I tried androgens in my eyes. For dry eye you can use your own serum, for instance, if every other eyedrop you've tried doesn't work.

 

I've done fine with 7Keto DHEA, which I can take daily at up to 25 mg/day. I am wondering how different that would be from regular DHEA... ? Good question.

 

DB

This is a good site

http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/forum.php?s=43f8da408803330059d0b8b151547f8c

Is it a really bad stabbing pain when you first wake? It sounds like corneal errosion which I get. I manage it by dropping in a drop of coconut oil before sleep and using a silk eye mask. I dont get dry eye through the day, just through the night. Drops are tricky and can make any eye problem worse.

 

I want to say that I am sorry to hear that people have have problems with one or both eyes. I have AN/PN as well as ME and have been on Gapapentin for 6 years. My left eye in the last year has been painful, in and around the eye and vision blurred. I put it down to the nerve damage on that side of my face. I have just had my eyes tested again and the pressure was up in both eyes (22) and then a later test showed that it had dropped in my right eye but not my left. I went to collect the glasses today and they checked my pressure in the left eye and it is 23. I have to wait to find out when they contact my GP and what happens from there. I know there seems to be a link with meds and Autonomic Dysfunction. My dad also has Retinitis Pigmentosa and Glaucoma, so it is a concern.

I wish everyone well and if we do have glaucoma hopefully treatment will save our sight and stop it deteriorating.

I know this is an old thread but sometimes we have to latch on relevant ones before posting a new thread.

 

Just wanted to update that a Prof of Opthalmology said my 'sudden eye event' was an adverse reaction to the drug Gabapentin.

 

I've now been diagnosed as suspect glaucoma without any treatment. The doctor said the pressures weren't high but I will be monitored. He also said the eye pain was not related.