dangers in glaucoma eye drops

Nigeria
January 29, 2007 12:46pm CST
GLAUCOMA can make one blind without warning if one fails to use necessary eye drops everyday. but another danger is that most of the effective eye drops that relieves pains of glaucoma patients also damage the heart. what is the solution because both glaucoma and heart failure are no human friends. please assist
2 people like this
3 responses
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
9 Feb 07
I have glaucoma and the drops gave me severe headaches. I have alot of medicaion allergies and the drops seem to be one of them. I cant use any of them. My Glaucoma specialist is considering surgery to release the pressure in my eyes. She said it is not a permanent fix as it only lasts a few years but it is an option.
1 person likes this
• Canada
6 Mar 07
Good luck with the surgery should you decide to have it. Like many medications, the drops can cause problems, but I suppose you have to consider the alternatives and risks and see which one is the best over the other and any alternatives.
@paulnet (748)
• India
20 Mar 07
Glaucoma, the second-leading cause of adult blindness after age-related macular degeneration, often results from intraocular pressure (fluid pressure within the eye, or IOP) that is too high for the optic nerve to tolerate. At About age 40 and over have glaucoma, and, because the condition does not cause symptoms in its early stages, half of them do not know it. There are two types of glaucoma:- 1. open-angle 2. closed-angle glaucoma The distinction between open-angle and closed-angle glaucoma is made by examining the front part of the eye to check the angle where the iris meets the cornea. Both types of glaucoma can lead to blindness by damaging the optic nerve. Each day, the eye produces about 1 teaspoon of aqueous humor--a clear fluid that provides nutrients to, and carries waste products away from, the lens and cornea. Ordinarily, fluid production and drainage are in balance, and intraocular pressure (IOP) is between 12 and 22 mm Hg. In people with open-angle glaucoma who have higher-than-normal IOP levels, ophthalmologists suspect that a partial blockage traps the aqueous humor. Exactly how this happens is unclear. As more aqueous humor is produced than is removed, the blockage causes an increase in IOP. When IOP remains elevated or continues to rise, fibers in the optic nerve are compressed and eventually die, leading to a gradual loss of vision. It is important that any prescribed eye drops are used every day as advised by your doctor, or the pressure in the eye will rise again. There are combination eye drops available that might be more convenient for those who need to use two different medicines. All the eye drops can cause some irritation to the eyes. In addition, beta-blockers can cause itching and dry eyes. Side-effects of other types of medicine may include taste disturbance, darkening of the iris, thickening and lengthening of eye lashes, headaches and blurred vision. A laser can be used to open the holes in the trabecular meshwork. The procedure is usually quick and causes little discomfort. No general anaesthetic is required and there is no need for an overnight stay in hospital. The success of this type of treatment varies from person to person, and it may be necessary to continue using eye drops after laser treatment, though often at a lower dose.
• Philippines
29 Jan 07
Effecting a cure on most types of eye defect is quite common nowadays. There are several procedures already available. I have no longer encountered people with same problems you have, here in my country. I may not be fully familiar of these ways of correcting eye defects because, luckily I am not in that condition yet. However, doctors here conduct eye operations at high rates of success.