No more eyedrops for a while

@blitzfrick My doctor was against to implant a stent, even because with the stent I would have needed the drops anyway, while with laser trabeculoplasty that creates two small holes to let the fluids flow, you have no need of drops and the procedure can be repeated if necessary.

@LadyDuck I'm not sure why my doc nixed the laser, maybe he was motivated by $$$. In this country, that is often the great motivation.

So lucky! I asked the doc about laser surgery for the glaucoma but he insisted on implanting a stent. And so far, I still have to use the glaucoma drops, morning and night. But the drops I had to use because of the cataract surgery are over until the second eye is operated on. It's so nice to get a break for a few weeks.

No additional scripts for me so far, fingers crossed. ::knocks on wood:: It is a stressor, having to keep the schedules straight, remembering to take or administer, remembering if one has remembered...

@blitzfrick The antibiotic eye drops seemed to help the infection, but not clear it up totally, so I'm going to try to go back to the doctor's office this week and see what the next step would be. I have a feeling it will be oral antibiotics, maybe a Z-pack to nuke the infection really good.

So how's the infection? The requirement of every 4 hrs around the clock and its attendant lack of REM sleep would drive me crazy. I'll have to use eyedrops (two different prescriptions) for glaucoma for the rest of my life, morning and night. In the cataract process, three days before surgery, I start using one new eyedrop each morning, in addition to the twice a day glaucoma drops. After the surgery, in addition to the glaucoma drops and the once-a-day drops added to the protocol, I start a fourth prescription twice a day for a few weeks, then once a day thereafter until the end of the post-surgery process. It's every bit as complicated as it sounds, and lasts a little over six weeks. Except of course, for the glaucoma drops, which are constant and ongoing. I did finally figure out that if I use the evening glaucoma drops a couple of hours before bedtime, then when I go to bed I won't get waked up by cool liquid drops being freshly administered to my eyes. By applying them earlier, I'm able to fall asleep much more easily. I'm averse to pharmaceuticals, and feel a bit caught in a web. However, after only one cataract removed, my vision from that (left) eye is clearer and lights don't seem to glare as they did before.

I get that. I was worried about being able to drive afterwards too.

You got it The first visit to the eye doc about it was last October. I wanted to be finished by this spring. But no way. Bah

@blitzfrick sorry it must be stressful

@chrissbergstrom It is somewhat stressful, but the second surgery and all the eyedrops, etc., won't be as bad now that I have some experience. The main thing is that it won't be this complicated forever. I can endure almost anything if I know it will eventually end.

Floaters. I had them as a kiddo and still do. I often amuse myself by trying to make them move where I want them to go. LOL, simple minds, simple pleasures, eh? My cataract surgery was delayed for many months until the intraocular ocular pressure was reduced. He also told me that the cataract surgery might lower that pressure a bit. But he wanted to put the stents in anyway. I'll always have to use the eyedrops for glaucoma. I'm thankful that the drops for the surgery are for a limited time. It's strange that not having to use them (I finished them last week) makes my morning time seem much greater, but there you have it. I start all the rigamarole again in July in preparation for the second surgery. I'm an old hand at it now, so not so much angst involved.

thank you