Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Glaucoma, Loss Of Vision, Had Laser Treatment. Can Worsening Vision Be A Side-effect Of Treatment?
Question: my husband has been diagnosed with glaucoma. he recently had a slight loss of vision and a laser treatment. This past week. today he feels like his vision in that eye is so much worse and that he can barely see in his left eye. is that possible? can it be a side effect of the laser treatment? What should he do?
Hi,
Thanks for the query.
This pattern of visual loss can at times occur in a few cases.Such time lag in visual loss suggests a definite pattern.
What may happen is that release of laser energy in the eye triggers an inflammatory response,these inflammatory cells:
1) block the drainage channels of the eye leading to rise of intra ocular pressure which strangulates the optic nerve,blocking it's blood supply leading to loss of vision.
2)They block the laser iridotomy hole leading to rise of intra ocular pressure.
Since this phenomenon is of recent origin the optic nerve damage is recent,so it may be reversible at the moment.
What is to be done at the moment is to have his intra ocular pressure checked and if it is raised then measures are to be taken to immediately lower intra ocular pressure(iop) by:
1)Acetazolamide 250 mg tablets marketed as Diamox
2)Iotim0.5% eye drops
or other drops which you were already using to lower IOP after consulting your physician.
These drugs are to be given in doses depending upon the iop level.
You can convey to us the type of glaucoma,congestive or open angle glaucoma and the treatment which was being taken and the initial and present iop level.
Hope i have answered your query.I will be available for follow up.
Thanks for the query.
This pattern of visual loss can at times occur in a few cases.Such time lag in visual loss suggests a definite pattern.
What may happen is that release of laser energy in the eye triggers an inflammatory response,these inflammatory cells:
1) block the drainage channels of the eye leading to rise of intra ocular pressure which strangulates the optic nerve,blocking it's blood supply leading to loss of vision.
2)They block the laser iridotomy hole leading to rise of intra ocular pressure.
Since this phenomenon is of recent origin the optic nerve damage is recent,so it may be reversible at the moment.
What is to be done at the moment is to have his intra ocular pressure checked and if it is raised then measures are to be taken to immediately lower intra ocular pressure(iop) by:
1)Acetazolamide 250 mg tablets marketed as Diamox
2)Iotim0.5% eye drops
or other drops which you were already using to lower IOP after consulting your physician.
These drugs are to be given in doses depending upon the iop level.
You can convey to us the type of glaucoma,congestive or open angle glaucoma and the treatment which was being taken and the initial and present iop level.
Hope i have answered your query.I will be available for follow up.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Radhika
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
