I'm Officially Grafted!

[Andrew MacLean]

Yes, I got a cataract after long term use of Dexamethasone and Prednisalone, they fixed it under local anesthetic and all has been well ever since.


Andrew

[red-eye]

Once again, thanks Rosemary, a very informative post.

Quite shocking as to how many drops there are

I can rest more easily knowing that the pressure part can happen to anyone regardless of graft or not.

This might be a daft question but worth asking I guess. When your pressure is higher than normal, can you feel it (if that makes sense)? I ask because I can occasionally feel something of that nature, it's hard to explain!

Anyhow, I've got a consultation in a couple of days, will update my progress (if any) when I get back.

[rosemary johnson]

Hi redeye!
No, it's not a daft question.
I've thought before now I could feel the grafted out being stretched out (like a balloon being blown up) with reaised pressure.
But whether that was "real" or just paranoia, that I don't know!
I'm a great one for the thing about "If I'm busy thinking about something else, it doesn't hurt, but if I thing about anything hard enough it will start hurting."
I suppose it depends also on quite how much the pressure is raised.
Apparently the glaucoma clinic think I just have "ocular hypertension" but that my retina is strong enough that it copes with it.
Rosemary

[red-eye]

Haven't been on in a few weeks, doesn't time fly! My absence hasn't gone without hiccups, all my doing! On a good note, I've been away for a week, a greatly needed break.

Yes Rosemary, that's a nice definition, an inflated balloon is what it felt like. It's true that I didn't feel it when I was out and busy, I did when I was home not doing much.

I started lifting weights about a month ago, lightly at first then gradually increasing. Two weeks ago I guess I went too heavy on them, after my routine I noticed my vision went down and before bed felt irritations in the eye. I went to A & E the next morning, however, before I left, I was mucking about with my dog and I ended up being head-butted by him in my grafted eye! It sounds so stupid to say, was my fault but man did it hurt! My eye felt and looked dreadful to say the least. I was told by the doctor that I'd broken a stitch, most likely due to the heavy weights. Stitch was taken out and put back on Chloramphenicol 4 times a day for a week.

All seems okay today after an eventful two weeks, the soreness from the headbutt has almost gone and my vision is on the mend. From the time the stitch had broken till present, I haven't felt the inflated balloon feeling.

Red

[rosemary johnson]

OUCH!!! about the head-butt.
Hope all is AOK again soon - take it steady with those weights, now!
Rosemary

[red-eye]

Hi,

Stopped the weights after my little episode (for now!) and am more careful when playing with my dog, you live and learn

Just had another consultation, my second this month and one to follow before the end!

I've been removed from all my current drops (Dexamethasone, Lumigan and Celluvisc) in favour of Lotemax. First two were stopped as eye pressure has been gradually rising but not critical. Dryness / dry eye is better, the reason for Celluvisc.

Don't know much about Lotemax, anyone had any experience with it? It's to be taken 3 times a day. The bottle is small (5ml), can't see it lasting me long.

[rosemary johnson]

Yes, I know about Lotemax! 0 they put me on it at one stage, when my eye pressure was consistently on the high side.
It is an alternative to dexamethasone - a steroid anti-inflammatory intended to reduce the risk of rejection.
All steroid eye drops can cause the eye pressure to go up, with risk of glaucoma damage tothe retina/optic nerve if the pressure getsa dn stasy too high.
Lotemax is a less-strong steroid, so the idea of changing is that it will have less of a pressure-raising effect than the dexa. I think (not guarantted_ that it has a shorter half-life than dexa - ie. the effect would normally wear off quicker.
I've also heard it described as "more penetrating".
Unfortunately, I had a nasty adverse reaction to it, and stopped in a hurry after the 4th drop.
Hope you get on better with it than I did.
Do let us know how you get on with the change in regime - I've jsut given up Lumigan too, and have found the eye quite dry sore and itchy, presumably getting used to being without its effects.
Rosemary

[red-eye]

Ah OK so this is not only a steroid drop but also an anti-inflammatory. How is your eye now after stopping the Lumigan, has the dry, sore and itchyness calmed down?

I seem to be getting on nicely with the Lotemax, makes my life easier taking less drops. The dryness and pressure also seem to be fine.

Just came back from my appointment, managed to read the third line of the snellen chart unaided and a couple lines under that with pin-holes.

[rosemary johnson]

Hi.
SOunds like things going well for you.
In answer to your question - NO!!!!
Both my eyes are now very red and sore and itchy - but that's now probably more the dreaded hay fever season than stopping the Lumigan. Though I still have a large spot on my lower eyelid that won't go away.
I think the lumigan influence is wearing off, as the asthma is not gett worse witht he hay fever onset as fast as I'd feared - coping with about one puff of green inhaler and one or two of the blue one a day.
Starting on the glaucoma drops befinitely made the asthma worse - first it was travatan, and I asked to change that as it was affecting the asthma, so they changed to lumigan, which affected it less, apparently, but still to some extent.
The eye's changing again, too - I think getting more astigmatic again, and reading with it (unaided) getting harder again. Haven't tried the lens again - as soon as being red and sore from lumigan starts to wear off, being red and sore from hey fever starts to wear on. SOd's law or something.
Rosemary