Steroid induced glaucoma? Another reason for me to hope Xolair helps me....

[Guest guest]

I went yesterday for my annual vision check to see if my glasses (reading

only) needed adjusting. I mentioned steroids and he decided to check my eye

pressure. He was somewhat surprised to find that the pressure was up in my

left eye. He set me up for a bunch more tests over the next few weeks.

He mentioned that even inhaled steroids are now likely to glaucoma. There

are no symptoms until it is bad, so it is good to get checked very year or

so. I will now be monitored on a very regular basis.

I have no family history, am 43 and a white female. My only risk factor is

the steroids - inhaled and oral bursts.

This is a whole other reason for me to really give Xolair a try. I NEED to

get off all steroids if possible, including my Flonase for my sinuses. I

have received 4 monthly Xolair shots and I am doing much better than I was

when I started them. I am still having much stronger exercise-triggered

flares than I had 1 year ago, but that seems to be the biggest issue now as

long as I stay healthy. I am going to try using my Xopenex nebs before I

exercise versus my Maxair inhaler which seems to work for about 3-5 minutes

lately only. Someone mentioned reacting to the propellant and I wonder if I

do the same.

I am so frustrated that they have found another chronic problem. And what a

choice - I can breath but risk my eyesight or save my eyesight and can't

breathe.. I was also looking at the drops which is first line treatment for

most and the usual ones are counter indicated in asthmatics! Another tends

to be very allergenic - fun, I tend to react to even those that are low

allergenic...

Xolair might be more of a miracle drug than many considered for us

asthmatics. It might let us breathe AND see.

B.

[Guest guest]

I have family history for glaucoma so I've been getting my pressure

checked since I was a teen.

My doc and my eye doc said that anyone taking steroids even a couple

of times a year needs to get their pressure checked at least every

two years. I go every 12-15 months, depending on when I have enough

$$ for the appt.

Thanks for giving us all an important reminder. Doug has had some huge eye

issues due to pred and we all value our vision, I know.

Addy

Group co-owner

at risk for glaucoma; already diagnosed with osteopenia; facing early

onset arthritis; allergic asthmatic since age 3. We're all gonna die

of something.

>

> I went yesterday for my annual vision check to see if my glasses

(reading

> only) needed adjusting. I mentioned steroids and he decided to

check my eye

> pressure. He was somewhat surprised to find that the pressure was

up in my

> left eye. He set me up for a bunch more tests over the next few

weeks.

>

>

>

> He mentioned that even inhaled steroids are now likely to glaucoma.

There

> are no symptoms until it is bad, so it is good to get checked very

year or

> so. I will now be monitored on a very regular basis.

>

>

>

> I have no family history, am 43 and a white female. My only risk

factor is

> the steroids - inhaled and oral bursts.

>

>

>

> This is a whole other reason for me to really give Xolair a try. I

NEED to

> get off all steroids if possible, including my Flonase for my

sinuses. I

> have received 4 monthly Xolair shots and I am doing much better

than I was

> when I started them. I am still having much stronger exercise-

triggered

> flares than I had 1 year ago, but that seems to be the biggest

issue now as

> long as I stay healthy. I am going to try using my Xopenex nebs

before I

> exercise versus my Maxair inhaler which seems to work for about 3-5

minutes

> lately only. Someone mentioned reacting to the propellant and I

wonder if I

> do the same.

>

>

>

> I am so frustrated that they have found another chronic problem.

And what a

> choice - I can breath but risk my eyesight or save my eyesight and

can't

> breathe.. I was also looking at the drops which is first line

treatment for

> most and the usual ones are counter indicated in asthmatics!

Another tends

> to be very allergenic - fun, I tend to react to even those that are

low

> allergenic...

>

>

>

> Xolair might be more of a miracle drug than many considered for us

> asthmatics. It might let us breathe AND see.

>

>

>

> B.

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

>

> I have family history for glaucoma so I've been getting my pressure

> checked since I was a teen.

>

> My doc and my eye doc said that anyone taking steroids even a couple

> of times a year needs to get their pressure checked at least every

> two years. I go every 12-15 months, depending on when I have enough

> $$ for the appt.

>

> Thanks for giving us all an important reminder. Doug has had some

huge eye issues due to pred and we all value our vision, I know.

>

> Addy

> Group co-owner

>

Addy and group,

My eye issues are much more complicated then just using pred.

I had cornea transplants due to a disease called " Keratonus "

in 1980 and 1982. See links below:

http://www.corneatexas.com/html/eye_info_keratoconus.html

http://www.kcsupport.org/Keratoconusvison.html

I used Decadron in each eye for over a year to reduce the chances of

having rejection of the transplants. This, plus being on pred for

asthma gave me pre mature cataracts in each eye. In 1997 and 1998 I

had cataract surgery.

One of the cataract implants came out and was floating around in my

eye so I had another 3 hour procedure to remove the lens and place

another one in the correct spot.

This surgery caused my eyes to not be binocular so I had 6 botox

injectins into the eye muscle over a period of a year.

Now. I am seeing 20/30 in both eyes and wear glasses like a normal

person. In ALL of this, I never had any eye pressure issues.

Like I always say, CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR about your own healthcare.

If yo suspect ANY problems with your eyes, see an Opthamologist

immediately.

Doug

[Guest guest]

Inner ocular hypertension IS linked to steroid use.(look it up on

google) I was on prednisone for just a few weeks when I noticed my

eyesight getting blurry. Went to get it checked out -- ended up with

a new pair of glasses and an appt a month later to double check the

pressure since it was up from my last yearly exam. By then I was on

all the inhaled stuff and the pressure had increased by 3 pts (in a

month). Had to return 10 days later --- pressure was still up. My

eye dr says the inhaled are even worse than the evil candy on your

eyes. I now have to go back monthy for pressure checks (I am on the

verge of glacoma...) Solution is no more inhaled steriods.... eye

sight verses breathing... another hard choice....

Please get your eyes checked! My eye dr says that anyone on

inhaled/nasal steriods should go for the pressure checks at least once

a year. I have wonderful eye insurance so the $5 co-pay in nothing in

order to keep my vision..... On another note the puffed air pressure

checks are not as accurate as the yucky numbing you eyeball and

pressing on them type one....

The good thing that came out of this was between my eye pressure

increasing(from the steroids) and my hightened blood pressure and high

resting heart rate from the inhalers my insurance appoved the Xolair

in record time(32 days). It helped for them to have all the facts of

the problems the steriods and inhalers were causing. (all documented

and sent to them). Also my dr's office seems to have a nurse

assigned to Xolair patients -- she works with the insurance companies

and is very efficient. I think the dr's office finds this to be a

win-win situation for them -- they get their approvals through faster

-- a benefit of going to a large asthma/allergy practice. Other than

the specialty pharmacy calling me for the co-payment all I had to do

was show up for the shot -- it was nice.

Now I am just waiting for Xolair to kick-in.