Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Causes Flickering Of Lights In Eyes After Retinal Laser Surgery?
Question: i am so worried about my eyes..i have been followed by an retinal specialist for 10 years..my pressures have been 18-22..the doctor would check my eyes every six months for retinal tears..i had a steroid shot in my knee and my eye got real hard so i went to another doc..he said i could have glaucoma..i have been so depressed since receiving this news..did the retinal specialist not see any changes regarding my eye health or because he is a specialist does he only check for retinal problems? i am afraid i have let this go on too long and have developed damage in my eyes. i have a 5 cupping in my right eye and 3 and a half on left eye..will seeing a psychologist help me..i am afraid of losing my sight.i have a thicker cornea..will this help me? i am -10,00 in right eye and -7.00 in left..my pressures after the steroid shot were in the upper 20's..anything natural i could do..i also have flickering after retinal laser surgery..does that ever go away..the doc has checked the eyes they are intact but still continue to have flickering. am i going to lose my sight?
Brief Answer:
You are not having advanced damage and no need to be worried.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to Health care Magic.
I am Dr. DADAPEER K, an Ophthalmologist and I will be answering your question.
I reviewed your history and the previous questions you had asked to me on Health care Magic.
First I would like to say no need to be worried as all these conditions are very much treatable.
The intraocular pressure of 18-22 is on the higher side but considering the fact that you are having thicker corneas, this can come within normal range once we apply the correction factor for this.
The cupping of 5 in one eye ad 3.5 in another eye is not very high but there is slight asymmetry and this makes us to suspect glaucoma. Hence you need to consult your glaucoma specialist once for baseline evaluation for measurement of intraocular pressure with correction for corneal thickness and assessment of damage to the optic nerve by tests like visual filed analysis or by optical coherence tomography.
Regarding flickering of lights, this will be present and decrease no need to be worreid. Since the retinal laser is already done for retinal tear/hole this will protect against any complications like retinal detachment. This requires regular follow up once in 3-6 months.
Hope this information is helpful to you.
Do write back to me for further questions.
Thank you
With regards
You are not having advanced damage and no need to be worried.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to Health care Magic.
I am Dr. DADAPEER K, an Ophthalmologist and I will be answering your question.
I reviewed your history and the previous questions you had asked to me on Health care Magic.
First I would like to say no need to be worried as all these conditions are very much treatable.
The intraocular pressure of 18-22 is on the higher side but considering the fact that you are having thicker corneas, this can come within normal range once we apply the correction factor for this.
The cupping of 5 in one eye ad 3.5 in another eye is not very high but there is slight asymmetry and this makes us to suspect glaucoma. Hence you need to consult your glaucoma specialist once for baseline evaluation for measurement of intraocular pressure with correction for corneal thickness and assessment of damage to the optic nerve by tests like visual filed analysis or by optical coherence tomography.
Regarding flickering of lights, this will be present and decrease no need to be worreid. Since the retinal laser is already done for retinal tear/hole this will protect against any complications like retinal detachment. This requires regular follow up once in 3-6 months.
Hope this information is helpful to you.
Do write back to me for further questions.
Thank you
With regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
can you be born with larger cups? i find it hard to believe i have glaucoma with no family history. does high myopia put you at a higher risk? the doctor did take a oct scan.. can he see damage on the oct scan..the retinal specialist has been taking oct scans why is it that he never said anything regarding changes in my scan? was he just focusing on the retina?would i be able to detect loss of peripheral vision at the early stages of glaucoma.it seems like i can still see my fingers wiggling in my peripheral. sorry i am so worried..thanks for your kind patience ..i really appreciate you!!!!
Brief Answer:
It is normal to have larger cup.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thank you for the follow up question.
It is normal to have larger cup and this is seen in people with myopia.
Myopia has slightly higher risk for glaucoma but no need to be worried about this.
Retinal OCT cannot detect early glaucoma but a glaucoma OCT can.
Hence you can request for a glaucoma OCT to find out glaucoma.
Hope this information is helpful to you.
Do write back to me for further questions.
Thank you
With regards
It is normal to have larger cup.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thank you for the follow up question.
It is normal to have larger cup and this is seen in people with myopia.
Myopia has slightly higher risk for glaucoma but no need to be worried about this.
Retinal OCT cannot detect early glaucoma but a glaucoma OCT can.
Hence you can request for a glaucoma OCT to find out glaucoma.
Hope this information is helpful to you.
Do write back to me for further questions.
Thank you
With regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
can a doctor tell for sure that you have glaucoma based on a glaucoma oct because that is all the doc had plus visual examination of my dilated eye..he said my nerve looked pink and healthy but he thought i had glaucoma..i will go back to have visual fields..if he was that worried would he have put me on drops right away? he wants to do the laser surgery to try and open up my drainage. does that have lots of side effects? once you start on the drops do you have to continue using them? Does using the drops affect my contact lens wearing time..does the drops make you eyes more dry? i am scared to do the laser..but i have lots of side effects from meds..thank you soo much! I am so thankful for you to help me understand. my doc spend very little time with me..i went into shock and was not able to remember any questions.. thanks again!
Brief Answer:
The recent antiglaucoma drugs have minimal side effects.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thank you for the follow up question.
Glaucoma OCT can diagnose early glaucoma.
Optic disk changes will confirm the glaucoma.
Visual field examination is helpful in assessing the progression of glaucoma and its response to treatment.
Laser surgery is treatment of choice in treating narrow angle glaucoma.
Drugs in the form of eye drops are used in all varieties of glaucoma.
Eye drops used in the treatment of glaucoma particularly the recent ones like latanoprost cause minimal side effects. They do not cause dry eyes or they affect the contact lens wearing time.
Hence I advice you not to be worried regarding eye drops and side effects.
Hope this information is helpful to you.
Do write back to me for further questions.
Thank you
With regards
The recent antiglaucoma drugs have minimal side effects.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thank you for the follow up question.
Glaucoma OCT can diagnose early glaucoma.
Optic disk changes will confirm the glaucoma.
Visual field examination is helpful in assessing the progression of glaucoma and its response to treatment.
Laser surgery is treatment of choice in treating narrow angle glaucoma.
Drugs in the form of eye drops are used in all varieties of glaucoma.
Eye drops used in the treatment of glaucoma particularly the recent ones like latanoprost cause minimal side effects. They do not cause dry eyes or they affect the contact lens wearing time.
Hence I advice you not to be worried regarding eye drops and side effects.
Hope this information is helpful to you.
Do write back to me for further questions.
Thank you
With regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
