narrow angle glaucoma

[Freetobeme]

My mom was diagnosed with narrow angle glaucoma. She lost most of the sight in her left eye. The doc did laser and put her on various eye drops and diamox pills. He stopped the pills, but she still uses the drops. Her vision has gone from virtually nothing to being able to see the largest letter on the eye chart. It is an E but she called it a 6. At least she could see that there was a letter there. Now he tells her she needs to be referred to another doc. The one she is seeing is supposed to be a specialist in this type of disorder. We don't have insurance, so he charged $500 for his services as a flat fee. Does it sound to anyone else like he feels that he has done what he considers $500 worth of doctoring and is ready to pass her on to someone else? He says she needs surgery to implant some kind of filter in her eye because she is (according to him) losing her sight in that eye. (Remember, she went from nothing to being able to see the chart!) He didn't even mention the fact that now she can see better than at the previous visit. Does anyone else have experience with this condition?

[logcabinmama]

Goatherder, I don't have this problem but I'm wondering if he feels he has done all he can and feels that someone else might be able to help her more.

 

Just a thought.

 

 

 

 

[gardnmom]

Here is another place that sat least explains what may cause it.

http://www.glaucoma.org/learn/

Here is a portion of their explaination

Angle Closure Glaucoma

This type of glaucoma is also known as acute glaucoma or narrow angle glaucoma. It is much more rare and is very different from open angle glaucoma in that the eye pressure usually goes up very fast. This happens when the drainage canals get blocked or covered over, like the clog in a sink when something is covering the drain. With angle closure glaucoma, the iris and cornea is not as wide and open as it should be. The outer edge of the iris bunches up over the drainage canals, when the pupil enlarges too much or too quickly. This can happen when entering a dark room.

 

A simple test can be used to see if your angle is normal and wide or abnormal and narrow. Treatment of angle closure glaucoma usually involves surgery to remove a small portion of the outer edge of the iris. This helps unblock the drainage canals so that the extra fluid can drain. Usually surgery is successful and long lasting. However, you should still receive regular check-ups. Symptoms of angle closure glaucoma may include headaches, eye pain, nausea, rainbows around lights at night, and very blurred vision.

Hope this helps.

[Freetobeme]

Thanks.

[Bamboo]

Goatherder, my mom didn't have insurance when she was diagnosis with iris melanoma (cancer of her iris). She was sent to two different specialists and then to the specialist/surgeon for surgery. We explained to him that she didn't have insurance and he cut his office bill by about 75%. Maybe he is just a wonderful man, but if I were you I would ask for a discount... can't hurt. When she had to have surgery the Lion's Club helped her pay for that and the doctor and hospital wrote off the balance. Most areas have Lion's Clubs... check the yellow pages.

 

There is a law called the Hill-Burton act. When hospitals accept federal funding (I believe for building purposes, not sure though) they are required to do some many dollars worth of charity care until a certain amount has been paid back (this differs with each hospital). You might ask the financial counselor at the hospital about that if she has to have surgery.

[Freetobeme]

The big problem is she won't have surgery. She refuses to see another doctor, too. We are a stubborn lot!