Am very worried I have glaucoma - please help!

[hereidrawtheline]

I was put on some meds for migraines a couple of weeks ago. My neurologist warned me that in very very few people, in their first month of being on the meds they came down with glaucoma, they got very bad pain in their eyes. He said if this happens stop taking them and get yourself straight to an eye doctor.

Well guess what its happened! It has been building a week or so but I have not stopped taking the meds simply because I get migraines!! My eyes hurt a lot anyway!! And I am supposed to wear glasses and havent for a while. I dont have any anymore and keep meaning to get an eye appointment. So I have been sure that those two things are what is causing the eye pain. But today I can think of nothing else. It is so sharp and just constant and there. I am phoning around all the eye places I can trying to get in to get an appointment and obviously wont be taking the meds today. But I am really scared.

thats ok! thank you! I will keep you posted! (literally!)

was hoping it would say but I cant find mention anywhere

As an aside (I only just found this thread) I get appalling migraines, sometimes 3 or 4 a day. My doc gives me Nigramig, which is great - for me, anyway - as I can't take anything paracetomol based (because I have to take loads of that anyway for other pain). Worth asking for, unless it's contra-indicated?

Glad your eyes are OK. It's really scary isn't it?

that's NARAMIG nor nigramig, sorry.

Thank you Jux - is that preventative or acute treatment?

Good news!

I wear glasses for astigmatism, readiing driving at night etc,. I've always been pleased with Specsavers, it was them that picked up on my mum's problem.

I used to get a pain in my eye and my head that was so bad I thought I was going blind or had a brain tumour I went to an oestopath who said it was coming from my neck. My neck was out of joint and was pulling the big muscle at the back of the eye, a few clicks and the problem was gone.

hereidrawtheline, there are loads of new contact lenses on the market at the moment and a general improvement in the availability of lenses for astigmatism. In particular, I am having a lot of success with silicone hydrogel contact lenses which have been a big problem-solver for lots of my patients.
I am very glad to hear your eyes are healthy!
As to VE or SS, as an optom who works in an independent practice I am very tempted to say neither! But you might be better to find an optometrist who specialises in contact lenses, particularly as you have had difficulty with them before. This could be in either a chain or and independent. Also, some optometrists specialise in vision therapy which might help with your migraines, if they are triggered by vision problems. You will find a list of these optometrists here Migraines can be difficult to investigate as they can have multiple causes but it does sound to me as though vision could play a big part in yours.
Hope this helps

thanks chipmonkey

I did realise last night while I was laying in bed unable to sleep that if I get glasses DS will constantly hit them in his lovely exuberant attempts to cuddle and kiss me. So I will probably have a bruised nose constantly. So I am leaning towards contacts!

Also chipmonkey, I have to get a hold of my neurologist, but what is your opinion on continuing the meds I was on? I havent taken them since the whole thing kicked off.

hidtl, I am probably being overly cautious here as the ophthalmologist seemed very confident that it wasn't glaucoma in the first place but tbh, I would really advise you to wait till you can get hold of your neurologist before re-commencing the meds. The reason I am saying that is that any information I have seen would suggest that the glaucoma resolves on stopping the medication and you hadn't taken it since early in the morning. So I would feel that there is a small chance that your eye pressure had been elevated earlier in the day but that it lowered on cessation of the meds and was normal by the time you got to see the doctor.
Again, probably over-cautious but I prefer to err on the side of caution!

I agree chipmonkey. better safe than sorry!

well I went to specsavers - they were very nice.

Had a loooooooooong eye test, oh my god I really cant see at all. The Dr was appalled and shocked at my lack of corrective-vision-wear.

He wouldnt write me the proper prescription because its so strong that to go straight to it after not having anything would hurt my eyes. So he has reduced it to a more acceptable level.

I am going to tell you what it is can you please translate? He said in addition to the astigmatism I am short sighted and right eye is next to useless.

Ok so this is not my true prescription this is the amended one:

R - SPH -1.50/CYL -2.25/AXIS 37.0

L - SPH -1.25/CYL -1.00/AXIS 147.0

What does it mean?

I've ordered 2 pairs of glasses, normal ones & sunglasses, as he said contacts might be ok for me but wouldnt be enough all the time as there would be times I couldnt wear them. So the glasses should be ready tomorrow (yay!) and I will go in another time for a contacts assessment. Then in a year he said he will put me up to my full prescription.

By the way I hope this conversation isnt annoying you! Like lawyers being asked about the law at a party. Sorry if it is!!

hidtl, SPH stands for Sphere which is the level of long or short-sightedness. In your case this has a minus value which means you are short-sighted but not by much.
The CYL value is the astigmatism which means that the eyes are oval-shaped rather than round. You must have quite a lot of this as even the modified prescription that you have shows a higher-than-average value for the astigmatism
The third value, the axis, is simply the position that the lens must be at in your spectacle frame. If you imagine a lens for astigmatism being like a rugby ball, if the axis is at 90 the ball is standing on it's end, if the axis is at 180 the ball is lying on its side. in-and-around 180 is the most common, in-and-around 90 is also fairly common, in-and-around 45 or 135 is oblique astigmatism which is the least common and causes more blurring and eyestrain and you would fall into this category!
You might feel at first as if the ground is coming up to meet you, but persist and you should definitely notice an improvement.

Naramig is acute treatment. As soon as you feel it coming on, whether it be an aura or some other sign, take one. I find they work well and fast.

I always have a banana or some plain yoghurt after a migraine. I'm not sure why any more, but it does make me feel better.

thank you very much chipmonkey for the explanation! I must admit I am a little scared what it will feel like to see as I am supposed to see! But really I cant wait!! I am so excited, but scared at the same time!

Jux how do you take it, is it a wafer or pill? I have had nasal inhalers (HATE them) injections, not too bad, wafers, ok but seem to take an hour to dissolve and how are you supposed to stick your tongue out that whole time??? I just want a pill.

I always get ravenous after a migraine! I eat for Britain! You sound so restrained with a banana and yoghurt! Think milktray, sandwiches, crisps, etc!

Oh and by the way, I am the type who will drivel on endlessly about my job so don't mind questions at all!

cool! what is your job title, are you an optician? I was wondering what made you want to do that specifically?

I'm an optometrist, we used to be called opticians, then ophthalmic opticians ( to distinguish ourselves from dispensing opticians) , then optometrists to align ourselves with the US optometrists! But most patients still call us opticians as old habits die hard!
I had my eyes tested when I was 11, thought the equipment was cool and the job looked like fun, have been in some jobs where the reality was far less exciting but my current job ticks most of the right boxes!

That's really neat! I am always fascinated by what attracts people to their careers, really more so I guess when they deliberately set out and chose that career, i.e. training, schooling etc

I guess its because I have never really wanted to be anything. I wish I did! All the things I enjoy and aspire to arent career worthy things.

It's a pill hereidrawtheline. A weird greeny blue half moon shaped pill. My first box (you get six in a box) also came with a little plastic container which holds two, so they're easy to just put in your bag or pocket, and then you always have at least one with you. I'm rather fond of them in an odd way.

Optometry is really interesting, but far too complicated for me; can't get to grips with the physics of it. Much admiration chipmonkey!

ooh I might have to ask for it! I would love a pill I am so fed up with wafers!

I really like hearing about sciency stuff by people who are willing to put it in laymans terms for me but I could never learn it all properly myself. My brain thinks differently and isnt very flexible.

Jux I know what you mean about the little box I get those with wafers & had a whole kit for the injections in days gone by! Very exciting. But I really hate wafers.