Thursday, May 22, 2008

A Fine How do Ya Do...

A few days ago, I updated my blog about my pink eye issues. Well, yesterday, I returned to the Eye doctor because my vision, which is normally 20/25, had become quite blurry in the affected eye. It is quite bothersome for someone who has never had eye problems to all of a sudden be faced with blurry vision. He did the normal eye tests and was shocked to find that I could not even read the largest letters on the eye chart from my "bad" eye. The other eye remains unaffected at this point. He proceeded to do further testing by dilating my eyes, checking pressure, etc. Only to discover that I have glaucoma. Hello???? I am not quite 36. I thought only old people got that?? My mom was just diagnosed with glaucoma two years ago. Her eye pressure is holding at around 18. Mine is 22 in the "good" eye and 27 in the "bad" eye. Getting old sucks. I tell you that right now. That is NOT was is causing the pink eye. That is an entirely separate issue that thankfully led to him discovering this problem before my vision is permanently compromised. I had not been to the eye doctor since 2002. No telling when I would have gone back had I not gotten pink eye. SOOOOOOO, the blurry vision is due to viral particles that were left over from the pink eye and now my white blood cells have started to attack the particles and all has attached themselves to my cornea. He assured me that the problem can be fixed and my vision will go back to normal, but it will take several months on yet more steroid eye drops. This time they must be the kind for people with glaucoma since steroids can cause the disease.

I am so bummed out about all of this. I am barely 36 and the last thing you want to be told is that you have a disease that could cost you your vision one day. Chances are, with proper treatment, that won't happen, but it is more of a chance than I had before all of this. I am now on an eye drop that I will have to use everyday, twice a day, for the rest of my life. I know, I know, it could be much worse. I know of lots of people who would trade places with me in a heartbeat, to have this problem. I guess I should concentrate on the positives, such as having caught it before it progressed and became a bigger issue. Most people don't know they have it until their vision is permanently affected. I guess I should just stop my bitchin. I have to have the pressure in my eye checked on a weekly basis for a while to see if the drops are working their magic. Say a prayer for me, will ya??

2 comments:

Karen said...

I am so sorry to hear that! I hope your eyes are feeling better ASAP!

Sarah said...

Chris told me to find you so I did. I am sorry to hear about glaucoma, that really sucks, I hate going to the eye doctor and getting tested for glaucoma, wait, I hate anything close to my eyes and the eye doctor in general though I have to go regularly because I have HORRIBLE eyesight. I hope your eyes are better.