It's not glaucoma! And new glasses yay!
Saw the regular opthomologist yesterday and she confirmed it IS NOT GLAUCOMA. I don't have it. Never had it.
According to her investigations into the files, looks like in 2012 some technician put it down as a diagnosis linked to my having my usual field-vision test done because I take Plaquenil. But instead of linking it to "takes Plaquenil" they linked it to a common diagnosis for taking that test, which is glaucoma.
So the diagnosis was there since 2012 AND NO ONE NOTICED. Including during my 2014 exam.
This says something for the doctor I used to see at DHMC. Not going to see him again!
Anyway, Dr. Lawrence was wonderful, even did a tear film test to see how my collagen plugs were doing (they're wearing off, which is about right timing -- they were the ones good for about a month), and said my left eye is drier. Which I could have told her. It's been burning and scratchy to the point of real bad pain. She told me I should be using artificial tears "throughout the day," so I guess I need to start carrying a tiny bottle in my trouser pocket at all times.
She claims the cauterization of a tear duct "doesn't hurt," but the Internet says otherwise. And apparently it isn't permanent. So I'm not so sure about this anymore. I'll talk to Dr. Miller about it in a few weeks when I see him again when the plugs have completely worn off. Doing longer term plugs would make more sense, if cauterization wears off, why not use plugs that wear off? I dunno. I guess I'll find out.
Oh, and I get new glasses now. Finally, after 7 years and glasses that now are so useless I don't even wear them, as without I see better than with. Ugh. The new ones should be ready in a week. Yay! I have no money left now, though. How I'll make rent for the store given I have to pay the quarterly sales taxes is anybody's guess. I'm about $1,000 short.
According to her investigations into the files, looks like in 2012 some technician put it down as a diagnosis linked to my having my usual field-vision test done because I take Plaquenil. But instead of linking it to "takes Plaquenil" they linked it to a common diagnosis for taking that test, which is glaucoma.
So the diagnosis was there since 2012 AND NO ONE NOTICED. Including during my 2014 exam.
This says something for the doctor I used to see at DHMC. Not going to see him again!
Anyway, Dr. Lawrence was wonderful, even did a tear film test to see how my collagen plugs were doing (they're wearing off, which is about right timing -- they were the ones good for about a month), and said my left eye is drier. Which I could have told her. It's been burning and scratchy to the point of real bad pain. She told me I should be using artificial tears "throughout the day," so I guess I need to start carrying a tiny bottle in my trouser pocket at all times.
She claims the cauterization of a tear duct "doesn't hurt," but the Internet says otherwise. And apparently it isn't permanent. So I'm not so sure about this anymore. I'll talk to Dr. Miller about it in a few weeks when I see him again when the plugs have completely worn off. Doing longer term plugs would make more sense, if cauterization wears off, why not use plugs that wear off? I dunno. I guess I'll find out.
Oh, and I get new glasses now. Finally, after 7 years and glasses that now are so useless I don't even wear them, as without I see better than with. Ugh. The new ones should be ready in a week. Yay! I have no money left now, though. How I'll make rent for the store given I have to pay the quarterly sales taxes is anybody's guess. I'm about $1,000 short.