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Glaucoma surgery
Has anyone had Ex-Press mini shunt surgery for glaucoma?
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Has anyone had Ex-Press mini shunt surgery for glaucoma?
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Eye Conditions Support Group.
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@marymj7
Thank you so much for information. Yesterday I was researching top doctors for glaucoma and his name came up. He has PhD in neuroscience, he is also a doctor in ophthalmology. With specialty in glaucoma.
His research is very interesting about regeneration of diseases of optic nerve and retinal.
Are you happy with his work? Does he make you at ease, and hopeful?
I have only seen him once so far. I will go back in late June. He is the first doctor to tell me that the optic nerve in my right eye is relatively healthy, which was great to hear. Lots of vision loss in my left eye. Only got 10 or 15 minutes with him. Saw another younger doc in between Johnson and the very nice tech who did my visual fields and OCT. I, too fear surgery. Given your history you may want to talk with the scheduler in the ophthamology dept and ask them to suggest which doc would be best. Is cataract surgery the only surgery you’ve had? Or do you have implanted drainage devices?
@marymj7
I’ve had cataract surgery on both eyes at Wilmer. They both went well, but my left eye after 3 months started to grow blood vessels on the iris and grew into drainage system and caused scar tissues and clogged them. They want to do tube shunt surgery, but the two doctors that I have talked to, don’t speak with confidence and the way they talk is not with compassion. I don’t feel comfortable in their presence and always come out of their office with tears!!! I feel so uncomfortable that I think when it’s my appointment day, I feel more seek and my eye pressure gets even higher.
Thank you. I take this as a good sign since you are going to him and in my search, I came across his name before you introduced him, and make an appointment with him. I know I have to do something, but it’s matter of who I go with! Thank you again!
@marymj7
It’s nice to talk to someone else as well who has an understanding of my problem in some ways.
@laluna9 I well know the uneasiness of not feeling comfortable with your glaucoma specialist. That’s why I’m traveling all the way from Louisville for care. It’s disappointing that two doctors at Wilmer Eye haven’t helped.
@marymj7
I understand. I have to get injections to prevent blood vessels from growing. And over the past 2 years I’ve had problem with their techniques. The doctor is lovely and great at what she does, but ….long story, so I had to travel to my previous doctor in CA, but it’s not possible anymore because of high cost of travel. But I talked to my doctor and asked her to do what the other doctor does in CA and everything worked out. I guess it’s important to be active in your own healing in some ways!!! The doctor for cataract, he is great too and even though it was scary to do the surgery, but his one of voice was comforting and his way of speaking gave you hope even though the surgery could have had complications. The glaucoma doctors that I have seen, they have high ratings, but they don’t make me at ease unfortunately!
Something to remember, Hopkins is a research and educational institution. Fellow doctors get involved sometimes in the care, so if that is something that you don’t like, make it clear to your doctor. I have in the past. Talk is okay, but not touching my eye or for any treatments.
@marymj7
They haven’t helped because I am terrified of losing my eye site, and I am uncomfortable with them, and except visit and crying afterwards, they haven’t done the surgery!
What risks were presented to you?
@greengold
It could have been steroid induced glaucoma. Stopping the prednisone would fix that.