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While driving to work every day I would pass a huge billboard saying ‘Have you checked your eyesight lately?’
After a month of reading this each day, I decided to go to the optometrist and have a sight test.
It was not what I had expected when I was told I had eye pressure of 18 in one eye and 30 in the other.
The optometrist couldn’t ring the specialist fast enough, and I was seen by the end of that same week.
The specialist informed me I had glaucoma and said I would go blind if I did nothing, and I would probably have to stop driving; and it all just seemed doom and gloom.
I left there in tears, but after a while I decided to look into this and saw the Glaucoma Australia website which was very helpful. It helped me understand what was going on, and what options I had for treating glaucoma.
When my next appointment came around at the eye specialist, he realised that he had not even prescribed me any eye drops. I have since sought alternative specialist advice, and I am now a regular out patient at ‘Eye and Ear on The Park’ in Melbourne.
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'I looked into the Glaucoma Australia website, which was very helpful and it helped me understand what was going on, and what options I had for treating glaucoma'Saskia
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.