Carmen's Story

I am 52 years old and have had glaucoma since 2005. I first heard about glaucoma when my uncle told us he had it, it was hereditary and we should get tested for it.

I was checked every 2 years, then I skipped a few years. In 2005 I had my first visual migraines. I had no idea what this was and convinced it was something very serious so I immediately went to an optometrist who upon examining my eyes discovered my eye pressures were 27 and 28!

I was referred to an ophthalmologist and was diagnosed with having glaucoma. It was scary and I was very anxious. I was monitored very closely by my ophthalmologist, Dr Anthony Dunlop in Hamilton, NSW who has looked after me so well since then. If I had not skipped those few years and had not suffered from the visual migraines things could have been worse.

I lost some sight in my left eye, thankfully has not worsened. I initially was on Xalatan for the first 6 months, however it was not lowering the pressures enough, so I was moved to Xalacom which was great.

In the last 18 months I have gone back to Xalatan which is working well. I still get anxious, but I do everything I can and what my ophthalmologist recommends. It’s definitely hereditary and many family members on my dad’s side have this too.