Opticians. WTF. Blow of air test.

[Karatekickbox]

hoping for some more information about this. At my last eye-test, my result for the blow of air test was apparently very high. I’m not cerain I heard them correctly but I believe she said it was 41. I may have misheard however.

The result thankfully came down although was still higher than whatever it was supposed to be. My health is good and I am not on any medications. I stayed for a variety of tests and the optician said she was happy with the results from them all, other than the blow of air test.

Does anyone know anything else about this. Should I be worried about the result from the blow of air test or reassured that rest of the eye-test was normal. Thank you.

The optician should have referred you to an ophthalmologist. Ask your GP for a referral if the optician won’t do it.

Op let me tell you my story.

For years my optician dismissed my high pressure readings as ‘my thick eyeballs giving a false high reading’ and some story about eyes being like tyres.

Then one day at routine eye test for new glasses, my usual optician was off sick and I saw someone else. The pressure was high as always and I told him it was always high and repeated what my usual optician told me.
He was horrified and told me it wasn’t for him to make that diagnosis and that he wouldn’t be doing his job properly if he didn’t refer me on.

I was given a letter and had to contact my GP immediately and get an urgent referral to the eye hospital.

I was seen and diagnosed with High Ocular Hypertension within a week.
I could have lost my sight if left untreated for much longer.

I won’t name the Opticians who were very nearly responsible for me loosing my sight but they are a big name on the high street. What made it all the more shocking for me was that the regular optician who failed to act was the franchisee/owner and I’d been going there for years.

Don’t mess about with your eyes. Get an eye test with another optician who will refer you on for further tests.

A result of 41 should of been a same day referral

I think you must have misheard, as an IOP of 41 would mean a trip straight up to the hospital.

I have thick corneas and my readings are usually at the high end of normal, if they can get a reading at all, because that test usually results in me becoming a blinking, weepy mess,making the whole process a million times worse, and I've had to go back later in the day, to try again.

I was advised to ask for a Goldman's procedure (which I'm not sure all opticians can do,) which is where they stick fluourosceine in your eyes (other spellings are probably available,) and then shine a blue light at you as they stick a camera lens on your eye or something; I'm not entirely sure, as I can't see so much of what is going on... Anyway, then covid happened, and I haven't had it since, though I've had a couple of sight tests, where my readings crept in at the top end of normal.

I was diagnosed with glaucoma last year with pressures of 28 and 31
They have now decreased to 18 with Latanoprost drops
I'm also on list for cataract removal in one eye

@notangelinajolie the shop name didn't almost rhyme with fek lazers did it? Because that is exactly what happened to my mum and she has lost 40% of the vision in one eye and has had to have surgery to insert shunts and all sorts. It's been absolutely horrific. And when she asked for her history (we had been using the same shop for about 8 years) they said it had disappeared.

@devuskums no it wasn’t but I definitely should not have gone there 😎

Sorry to hear about your mum, I could very easily have been in the same boat. Hope she’s now getting all the treatment she needs

I’m on Latanoprost & Timolol drops and have been stable for years but still have to go to the hospital regularly for all the tests.

I cannot believe a thorough investigation/diagnosis can be done in a 20 minute appointment in a shop - I am happy to be proved wrong but from my experience it is a potentially dangerous and flawed way of doing things. Thank goodness the 2nd optician I saw didn’t think it was his place to make a diagnosis.

@devuskums

no it wasn’t but

Don’t know how that got there. Ignore the beginning of my first sentence - I think we went to the same place.

I think you should go back to the optician and ask them to break down for you why it shouldn't be referred. Some risk factors include high blood pressure and diabetes, do it's worth a follow-up with your GP for those.