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In December 2005 I was diagnosed with a retinal tear and detachment in my right eye and was sent to Canberra from Cooma and onto Sydney Eye Hospital. I was operated on at midnight in the middle of the Cronulla Riots. I went home to Cooma - changing altitude slowly over 7 hours – with an orbital buckle and gas bubble.
A couple of years later I developed traumatic glaucoma as a direct result of the surgery, and have received various treatments since, taking care of both eyes as a precaution.
My ophthalmologist is in Canberra (1 ½ hours away) and as the conservative drops were not completely controlling the intra-ocular pressure or vision loss in my right eye, I was sent to Sydney for a deep sclerectomy, i.e. a flap for drainage, at a private hospital in a place called Chatswood. Two days later we returned to Comma (all very stressful and expensive and time consuming).
Since that amazing procedure I healed too well, and the flap created healed over. The Canberra ophthalmologist, under telephone instructions from Sydney, reopened the drainage channel using laser techniques – MAGIC!!
I’ve had low pressures since – left eye 11 and right eye 9! I am currently using drops twice a day with great effect. Six monthly check-ups in Canberra are mandatory and reassuring.
Abbie was diagnosed with glaucoma as a newborn and had surgeries to control her eye pressure. Despite being short-sighted with nystagmus, she lives independently and runs a dance company called Blindful.
Suzanne learned she had glaucoma during an eye check-up when she was 65. Now, for the past five years, she has been receiving treatment to protect her eyes from further damage.
Patricia discovered she inherited glaucoma from her father after developing cataracts. She underwent a successful surgery and is now taking eye drops regularly. She now advises others to get tested early.