Eye pain

[ashleyworks]

My mom has been diagnosed with both wet macular degeneration and now glaucoma in her left eye.  Her right eye is blind from having been lasered in an effort to get rid of the blood when a vein reputered in her right eye.  In an attempt to save her vision a retina specialist injected a cancer drug in her right eye 4 times in an effort to stop the flow of blood.  She also did the bubble.  This worked for a while then the blood started flowing again.  An eye surgeon attempted to remove the blood and this too worked for about 2 weeks then like a curtain coming down she lost sight of everything except light and dark.  Now she has been diagnosed with glaucoma and is putting 3 different drops in her eyes 3 times a day.  She stopped putting Lumigan in because she had a violent reaction to it.  Terrible tearing and inflamation and extreme pain.  Now all she has is constant infections and pain so bad he wants to end her life. She describes the pain as starting in her eye and then in her head above her eye.  Both her retina specialist and her glaucoma specialist can't seem to determine what is causing the pain.  They suggested it had something to do with her carteroid arteries or her heart.  We have tested that and all veins are clear and functioning just fine.  I am at my wits end as I do not want my mother to suffer unnecessary pain!! She is 91, sharp as a tack and suffers with this pain in her eye/head.  She thinks it is because of some pressure.  Please advise what to do.  I will take her to Arizona, Texas, anywhere I can get her relief.  We live in New Mexico.

[ashleyworks]

Took her to the Eye Dr. today and her pressure in the one eye was 37.  So this is what is causing the pain.  The Dr. said there is an adnormal growth of blood vessels around the eye which is blocking the drainage which is why the pressure is so high plus why her eye weeps constantly.  She is recommending a out patient procedure where they laser some of the blood vessels so the drainage is open.  She indicated this may take a couple of procedures. At this point I am not so worried about my mother's vision (she cannot see anyway) as I am about her extreme pain.  We are hopeful this will alleviate the pain.  The problem is my mother has a low blood platelet problem so we have to make sure her platelets are high enough for the procedure.   So thank you for your input.

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

I am sorry to hear about your mom's problem.  The problem could be elevated eye pressure.  Lumingan is used to control eye pressure.

Take her to her doctor.

Dr. O.