Archived Messages
Due to lack of space on the Message Board Forum, some of the older messages have been archived here:
Archived Messages prior to September 2004
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Accurate Eye Pressure Test Post-LASIK
Tom, 44, USA. Jan 12, 06 - 4.32 am
I have been diagnosed with PDS and am considering custom intralase (LASIK) surgery to correct my nearsightedness. However, I have been told by my regular opthamologist (who is not doing the surgery) that there is no way to accurately measure and monitor the pressure in my eyes after having LASIK surgery. Has anybody heard any similar concerns that their PDS cannot be accurately monitored after they had LASIK surgery? Should this be a high barrier to getting LASIK? Thanks for your help. Tom
- Janice Dunbar, 55, UK. Jan 13, 06 - 10.21am
prob no help whatsoever but i wasnt diagnosed with pds until AFTER lasik surgery!!!!!!previously no problems so be careful and good luck
- Victor. Sept 11, 06 - 8.28am
There is a new tool called Ocular Response Analyzer that is supposed to measure the pressure correctly even following LASIK. Apparently, very few clinics have it so far. Site: www.ocularresponseanalyzer.com All the best.
- Dave, 24, UK. Sept 26, 06 - 11.53am
The Ocular Response Analyser, although a sound idea, has very little evidence (as yet) to back it up. So it's far from a perfect solution. All measures of intra ocular pressure (IOP) make assumptions about the cornea. By having refractive surgery you change the structure of the cornea (thickness, curvature, hysteresis etc). Thus these assumptions are no longer valid and absolute measurements can not be obtained. However Glaucoma is associated with a rise in IOP. This can still be detected, it will just be a measured rise from 6 to 9 rather than 22 to 25. It will make it harder to monitor with conventional tonometry but not impossible. Hope you are happy with whatever you decide. Dave
- Tracy Clark, 35, USA. Oct 20, 06 - 7.12pm
I had LASIK 2 years ago....and have had no problem with pressure checks. I asked my eye surgeon many questions...and she told me that she would not perform the surgery if she had any concerns. I love that I got LASIK. You may want several more professional opinions. I went to the Georgia Eye Institute. Good Luck! T
Eye Colour
Jane, 44, UK. Jun 27, 05 - 1:27 PM
I noticed when I got a new digital camera that photos of me showed clearly my eyes being different colours.. one dark blue and one light blue. I mentioned it to my Optician and was subsequently referred to a specialist. He said eyes don't change colour! But I'm sure they weren't so clearly odd before! He said I have PDS. I definitely think there's a marked colour change because I'm 44 and surely I would have noticed it before? Do any of you have experience of iris changing colour? Also, I don't know if the dark eye got darker or the light eye got lighter? any ideas?
- Tracy, 39, UK. Jun 28th, 2005 - 8:08 AM
My eyes were always grey/green as a child (something I was quite annoyed about, as I wanted GREEN eyes, like my sister!), although on a couple of occasions I was told that if I got very angry they appeared greener. Over the past few years the colour has darkened and become greener. A friend of mine noticed this when I went to visit her in May this year - I hadn't seen her for 18 months and straight away she said "Your eyes are different!"
- Jane, 44, UK. Jun 29th, 2005 - 10:40 PM
Do you think its related to PDS?
- Tracy, 39, UK. Jul 1st, 2005 - 12:16 AM
I checked online and came across this page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterochromia_iridis It says that different colours within ONE iris (Heterochromia iridis) can be caused by pigment dispersion. It also mentions having two different coloured irises (Heterochromia iridium), and says "One cause of heterochromia iridium is trauma to the eye, but it can also be a hereditary trait. Other causes of heterochromia iridium are certain types of diseases and the medication taken to treat them, such as glaucoma." (I checked my Xalatan eye drops leaflet - it mentions that the eyes can gradually become permanently darker after using Xalatan). On this page of the same site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iris_of_the_eye it says: "Different colours in the two eyes... The occurrence of two irides with different colours or heterochromia iridis is a rare situation in humans. This is often an indicator of ocular disease, such as chronic iritis or diffuse iris melanoma, but may also occur as a normal variant." And after all that, I still don't know whether the answer is yes or no! I would hazard a guess at 'possibly'... does anyone else know the answer?
- Pam, 48, USA. Jul 10th, 2005 - 4:01 AM
I was just diagnosed with PDS. They gave me eye drops (Travatan) and in the phamplet that comes with it, it warns that your eye color can change - getting darker after you start using the drops. It's a permanent darkening. It also says that your eye lids can become dark colored as well. Has anyone ever used the Travatan eye drops? I hesitate to use them because of all of the side effects. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
- Cathy Ramus, 46, USA. Jun 28th, 2006 - 2:58 AM
You asked if eye color can change some time ago. I can tell you positively! I was bron with blue. One turned dark brown at 1 yrs old. After a few years the brown starting slowly turning blue and today I have one blue with very little speck of brown and one 1/2 blue and 1/2 brown. The 1/2 brown is turning mor blue as I age. Hope it answered your question.
- Michael, 40, USA. Jul 5th, 2006 - 8:05 PM
I've been using Travatan for about 3 months, but the side-effect I get (other than increased the sensitivity to light that I started experiencing soon after takign the drops) is redness of the whites of my eyes. I'm going to talk to my doctor about the redness when I see him next.
- Kathleen Cohlend, 48, USA. Jul 20th, 2006 - 5:11 PM
I had blue/grey eyes until the birth of my first child at age 18. They were definitely blue. Over the years they have turned into a green/grey so much so that 5 years ago our Motor Vehicle Department changed the eye color category on my driver's license from blue to green. I do have pigment dispersion syndrome and pigmentary glaucoma (but not much pressure build up) and am taking Xalatan. My eye color changed long before either of these diagnoses.
- Tracy Clark, 35, USA. Oct 20th, 2006 - 7:15 PM
My eyes were definitely bluer as a child. I have noticed that they have become greener and greener. I had one eye doc tell me that it is more likely to have PDS when one has many color pigments in their eyes. I have blue, grey, green, and a bit of gold in my eyes....hmmmm. There must be a study on this somewhere. T
Need your help on PDS
Janet, 37, UK. Oct 17, 06 - 8:56 PM
I have been told I have PDS today. Like everybody does, I came home and searched the net for info. Now totally confused to the severity of what i have got. What I want to know is.. I go running/exercise quite a lot. Is this having any impact into my PDS. also I work all day everyday on computers is this having an effect? I am just wanting to know if there is anything I can do to make the condition better. thanks
- Tracy Clark, 35, USA. Oct 20th, 2006 - 7:04 PM
Don't worry too much. I have had PDS (as far as I know) for over 10 years. I take timoptic drops in both eyes....used to just be my left...but I have graduated to the right. I go to my eye doc 4x a year for a pressure check, and update my visual field test and photos of optic nerve yearly. I was even able to get LASIK surgery! Make sure you get pressure checks often......and beware of coughing fits due to a cold or whatnot. The coughing can increase pressure in the eyes....greying out and such. Feel free to email me! T
- Dave, 24, UK. Oct 24th, 2006 - 6:33 PM
There is a small amount of evidence that suggests that exercise increases the intra-ocular pressure inside your eyes. There is also some evidence that exercise causes the pigment shedding that occurs in PDS to speed up. However both of these are statiscally significant not clinically significant. This means they are very unlikely to effect you chances of progressing to pigmentary glaucoma or suffering visual loss. There is no link between PDS and VDU use. However there is a link between VDU use and myopia (short sightedness) and myopia is linked to PDS. Once again this is very unlikely to effect your outcome.
Over initial shock, now lots of questions
Carson, 29, UK. Oct 17, 06 - 11:35 AM
Hi all, V glad I found this website - basically got diagnosed several weeks ago now with PDS which has caused significant increase in eye pressure and thus apparently glaucoma in my right eye. Apart from being something of a guinea pig for the doctors (great spindle apparently) I have been placed on a regime of azopt twice a day and xatalan last thing at night - has anyone done this? any noticable side effects with either? Actually any general advice to get me off the ceiling would also help!! Cheers C
- Tracy Clark, 35, USA. Oct 20th, 2006 - 7:07 PM
wow....you have glaucoma in your right eye? How is your doc treating you for this? I don't think climbing the walls will help...as per the anxiety and blood pressure increase will not help! I use timoptic (timolol is the generic) and i have had no noticable side effects....have taken the drops for 4 years. Good luck! T
- Dave, 24, UK. Oct 24th, 2006 - 6:44 PM
Azopt is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, which lowers the production of aqueous humour. It has few side effects, the most commone ones being a bad taste after use and some people suffer lid inflamation. Travatan is a prostaglandin analogue. It increases outflow of aqueous humour. It has very few side effects, although about 20% of people notice a darkening of iris or an increase in their eye lash length. Because these are highly visible, these drops are normally used in both eyes. You don't say this is the case but I assume it is. Just email if you have any questions on any of the above.
Carson, 29, UK. Oct 25th, 2006 - 12:42 PM
Thank you for the posts guys! Yeah, the PDS was never picked up, the resulting increase in pressure thus pushed me onto the slippery path to glaucoma. So whilst the slight loss is irreversible its been caught and is being managed, which is good news all round! My IOP in my right eye when last measured was 30, the Doctor wants to see a reduction to around 12 - from what I have read Im not entirely sure this will be possible with drops alone - have a appointment next week to judge their success. Guess next option would be continue on old regime, start differant one or begin discussing surgery.
Need Help
George, 40, Scotland. Oct 12, 06 - 11:28 AM
diagnosed with pds on the 10th so still in a bit of shock , ta for the website traey it certainly clarified things for me. I was wondering if anyone can help me with alleviating the symptoms that i have which are red itchy eyes( i usually wake up through the night scratching them)and when it gets bad my eyes feel full of grit , water constantly and have stings of green goop in them. george
- Tracy Clark, 35, USA. Oct 20th, 2006 - 7:09 PM
sounds like an infection of some sort. better check that out! T
- George, 40, Scotland. Oct 22nd, 2006 - 4:05 PM
yeah been on mre anti biotics than you can shake a stick at plus drops etc it just seems to reccur though
- Dave, 24, UK. Oct 24th, 2006 - 6:53 PM
Sounds like you need to undertake some lid hygene measures. You have three choices. Twice a day cleaning of eye lids with baby shampoo and cotton bud. Twice a day wiping with commercially available lid scrubs (can be expensive). Twice a day lid massage with a cloth. Boil water, allow to cool slightly and massage eyes through closed lids. The steam will help open the glands and clear the gunk away. You might notice your vision blurring slightly as all the secretions float into your tear film. However all of this is said with a caveat, if your eyes arn't getting better despite treatment you should seek eye care (optician/optometrist or ask your GP to refer to you to the hospital) to ensure nothing more sinister is going on.
Jackie Johnson, 38, UK. Oct 26th, 2006 - 7:13 PM
i got told my sticking itchy eyes were due to arthritis, i developed this 2 yrs ago and was treated for hayfever my eyes were that bad. but since been told it is the oil/water mix of eyes same as arthritis affects body joints, i was told to use eye drops to clear eyes everyday and artificial tears. i was told i have pds 2 a few weeks ago... i also wear contacts which are a lot better since using the eye drops...
New diagnosis
Charlie Pritchard, 56, UK. Oct 30, 06 - 4:25 PM
Hi - thanks for the site, just diagnosed today with pds, although it was picked up by the optician during my annual eye check up for my diabetic regime of tests. Hospital in Burton on Trent confirmed the pds. I will now need to go to the hospital every 3 months or so to build up some data. So far no treatment - but it was explained very well what to expect and that it is for life - like my diabetes ! Your site has confimed all that I was told and easy to print off for my wife !! Thanks Charlie
Iridectomy
Carson, 29, UK. Nov 4, 06 - 6:15 PM
So, had my appointment. my pressure has dropped from 30 to 17, thanks to the eye drop regime - however I am now also on the waiting list for a bilateral iridectomy - whislt I am now aware of what it is, the Doctor was very unclear about potential side effects. Anyone ever had this procedure and willing to share any non horrid stories about it? Cheers Carson
Suggestion.....
Jane, 45, UK. Nov 3, 06 - 2:51 PM
I wonder if there could be a way of us sharing pictures of our eyes..a picture board.. a bit like an olnine album or msn spaces type thing. I'd find that really fascinating and helpful too!
- Tracy, 41, UK. Nov 7th, 2006 - 6:11 PM
Hi Jane, Thanks for your suggestion. To clarify, do you mean normal photographs of eyes, or photographs taken by an optician? Perhaps a portrait gallery would be better, with head shots rather than just the eyes? If others are interested in having an 'eye gallery', let me know... I can include a photo page on the site.
- Jane, 45, UK. Nov 8th, 2006 - 7:52 AM
Yes.. I just mean headshots.. ordinary photographs.. smiley faces hopefully!
(No one sent photo's, so the photo page was removed.)
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