Posts by Larry Kern96

After dealing with glaucoma for years, my husband underwent surgery at the Mayo Clinic four months ago, following his ophthalmologist's recommendation.
The procedure was initially described as a complete success. They created a new drainage site, but after his fourth follow-up appointment, we learned that the glaucoma surgery actually failed—apparently, the new site has already closed up. We’re back to using eye drops again, but now we’re even more worried about the eye, since we were told you can't just keep undergoing these surgeries over and over.

Could anyone offer some advice or perhaps a second opinion? I'm not sure where else to turn; nothing seems clear to us anymore. His other eye was already lost due to delayed glaucoma surgery a few years back.
🤷

Douglas Green31 said:I wore those exact lenses for years, and they were honestly the best ones I ever had.
If they’re thinking about discontinuing them, I don't think it's because there's anything wrong with the product itself. It's more likely because everyone is switching to silicone hydrogel lenses now. Those allow for much higher oxygen permeability, which makes them significantly healthier for your eyes. I'm not sure how familiar you are with this, but wearing low-oxygen soft lenses long-term—especially from sunrise to sunset—can lead to complications due to oxygen deprivation.
The cornea doesn't have blood vessels; it gets its oxygen directly from the air. Since lenses act as a barrier, the cornea starts growing blood vessels into itself just to try and get enough oxygen.
This is called corneal neovascularization, and it damages your vision by reducing the transparency of the cornea.

Just for context, Optima lenses have a Dk (Oxygen Permeability) of 8.5, whereas silicone hydrogel lenses have a Dk of over 100.

That's exactly why I switched from Optima to silicone hydrogels (Air Optix).
Specifically, those have a Dk of 110.

So, it isn't just some attempt to "upsell" you on more expensive lenses.
I’ve been wearing soft lenses for 15 years, and I've actually started seeing early signs of neovascularization myself. It's nothing serious; it clears up once the cornea starts getting sufficient oxygen.
Since it only showed up after 15 years, it suggests that oxygen deprivation isn't an immediate crisis for everyone.
However, it's highly individual and depends entirely on how your specific eyes react.

The bottom line is that the cornea needs oxygen, so your ophthalmologist definitely wasn't giving you bad advice.
Now, whether it's absolutely mandatory is a bit debatable. But it is undeniably better for your eye health.

Uh, now you've got me worried too. I've been wearing soft contact lenses for 15 years.
Every time I place a new order, I have to switch manufacturers because the ones I used previously aren't available anymore.
I've tried Johnson & Johnson, CIBA Vision, Bausch & Lomb, with prescriptions of +2.50 and +2.75, and various water contents—most recently 74% because my eyes get incredibly dry.
Now I'm being offered Bausch & Lomb Optima again, claiming they're the best, with 38.6% moisture.
They come in packs of four, which lasts three months, so that covers a year.
So two packs would be $187.
They also offered me silicone versions, but I didn't know enough about them, so I passed.
I actually ordered them, and they should arrive tomorrow, but what exactly is oxygen permeability, and where is it noted on the boxes? What labels should I look for?
The big issue is that the salespeople often don't have a clue what they're actually selling, so how are you supposed to decide what to buy? That's just my experience.
😕

Has anyone here gone through surgery for both open-angle glaucoma and cataracts at the same time?
I’m wondering how long the recovery period for the eye actually lasts.
And what kind of precautions am I supposed to be taking?
The information they provide at the hospital is pretty vague, I guess.
Thanks in advance!

Aaron Lopez43 said:I suppose it's possible, since my mother does that kind of work at a local community health clinic over in downtown Chicago.

Is that in Washington, D.C.?

I was wondering if someone might be able to clarify whether taking Maximus capsules could potentially interfere with how Martefarin works—specifically, if it might increase or decrease its overall effectiveness.

Thanks in advance

Aaron Lopez43 said:The doctor told my mom that they can deal with that splinter either through surgery or laser treatment. My mother actually went through those laser sessions, and she felt a noticeable difference after maybe four or five treatments. I suppose it might be worth looking into that option before deciding if surgery is even necessary.

I appreciate the advice. I'll check with my doctor about the laser therapy; I'm just hoping it's something available at a standard hospital rather than having to go to some expensive private clinic.

I’ve only recently signed up here, so I suppose I’m still a bit green when it comes to posting and asking questions, though I have noticed a lot of intelligent inquiries and responses so far.

For a few years now, I’ve been dealing with a recurring ingrown toenail. My doctors are suggesting that surgery might not be the best route, claiming there's a high chance it just keeps coming back.

Has anyone else dealt with this particular issue?
Thanks

What’s actually the difference between the BlackRock tablets and the capsules (specifically regarding those hemorrhoid treatments)? Thanks in advance.🙂