Over 40, Glaucoma LASEK is the ONLY Solution
Q: Here are my questions, I am nearsighted, I am in my 40’s (47 to be exact), and I have been diagnosed with glaucoma (I have been to a specialist Dr. Falck in Mystic Ct, and my condition is not serious enough for medication). Am I still a candidate for LASEK?
A: First of all, as long as your glaucoma is under control, meaning you have a stable IOP within normal limits (10-20), and you have no sign of functional decay (like progressive visual field loss, loss of nerve fiber on HRT, etc.), you can have LASEK. LASEK is safer than LASIK in patients with glaucoma, as we don’t have to increase the IOP to make the eyeball as hard as a rock, which is necessary to cut the LASIK flap, which would then kill off some of your retinal ganglion cells. What we would do is speak to your doctor in CT, and make sure that together we adequately control your IOP. We would also probably put you on a milder steroid such as Lotemax, as that has a much lower chance of raising your IOP than PredForte.
Since you are about my age, I would recommend you have our ReadingVizion option as well, after which you won’t need either distance or reading glasses! This is what I did, and it really works great! Just call my office to make an appointment for your free consultation, and mention you have glaucoma, but will come in with your records for us to review. Even better, fax them to us in advance, and call 5 min. after faxing to confirm receipt and to remind my secretary to make a chart for you and give it to one of my MDs to review in advance of your visit. Also tell them to book you for sometime in March, not this week, as I would like to see you personally, as I do with all the special patients (we are probably full this week anyway).
