Connie Liu was 18 when she was told you have glaucoma, an eye disease which is why there is no cure.
Connie, 46, from Sydney, lets us know her story – and why it’s extremely important to have the measurements and signs of glaucoma:
“I was residing in New York and studying Ten to twelve hours each and every day when I was they’ve glaucoma.
I developed a headache that started at my eyeball and underwent my eye in the back of my head.
I think it is because I was reading quite a bit, so I put up with the pain for an estimated a year.
When I eventually told my uncle, he arranged a check-up because we thought I needed a new prescription for glasses.
But attention pressure was 45 in the event it should be around 12 and i also had glaucoma, which I’d never read about.
The specialist explained when the pressure wasn’t reduced, I’d permanently lose my eyesight.
I’d lost 40 % of vision with my left eye and I’d compensated without realising.
I thought there ought to be a tablet or eyedrop to improve it but within a fortnight I had my first surgery coupled with to defer school on a year.
Surgery designed a drainage hole into my eyeball – a needle point – to decrease pressure.
After surgery I had created injections around my eyeball for 10 days to prevent the drainage hole healing.
I’m now 46 with had that surgery 4x.
Learning to live with glaucoma
I’ve lost 80 per-cent of eyesight at my left eye so balance is an issue, but I’ve used a system to navigate everyday living.
When I’m making the stairs, I locate cues along the lines of shadows and debris on surfaces that helped me to see differences in height.
I don’t wear make-up much, since if I close my right eye to put on eyeliner, I can not see what I’m doing using my left eye. And so i choose not to drive anymore.
I need ideas of why I’ve got glaucoma and I never expected it that occur to me.
But I’ve discovered that if you are concered about your eye health, don’t wait – buy your eyes checked.”
What comprehend glaucoma
Glaucoma risk factors
Although you can now get glaucoma, some folk have a the upper chances – they are women that have:
Source: Glaucoma Australia (Call: 1800 500 880)
World Glaucoma Week is March 10-16.
Written by Sarah Marinos.
