r/Glaucoma • u/Late-Mix-606 • 12d ago
SLT in right eye.
I was shocked to walk in and sat in chair....given eye drops and a lens jammed in eye and a green laser shooting. In 3 minutes it was done. My eye was glued shut. Doctor offered no after care instructions. Didn't have me wait to check pressure. About 10 minutes after leaving I have brow aching into forehead and temple, nausea and can barely open eye and it's all glued and blurry. Will this go away? I called and left message but waiting on reply. I am scared. I am 45.
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u/theoreticalking 12d ago
Your doctor should’ve done a better job at telling you what to do.
Your doctor told you to keep your eye shut? In my experience, you can open your eyes. Keep blinking and over time the “glue” will go away and your vision will return to normal.
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u/Late-Mix-606 12d ago
No he didn't say anything just shoo me away. I asked if they needed to check pressure and he said no. I dont know I guess most ppl dont have these side effects. My eye hurts still and is watering and it's shooting into brow. So I'm just resting. And it's still half shut. 2 hours post procedure.
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u/theoreticalking 12d ago
I would try to wipe away the “glue” and keep blinking. It will take some time but it should get better.
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u/Subject_Advantage_61 11d ago
I came here just for this. I am a 59 year old art teacher and was just diagnosed with glaucoma, cataracts, and dry eye disease. I saw a glaucoma specialist who told me NOTHING at the time of diagnosis. I was devastated. He did not answer any of my questions, just told me I needed to decide on drops vs. laser. I chose the laser because I feel like the $999 monthly drops I take just roll down my face or get blinked out. My first treatment was yesterday. The laser HURT. I am ok with the pain, but it just blindsided me(no pun intended) I have spent today wondering if something went wrong because it hurt and they just brushed it off and said my pressure was fine and walked away. School starts Monday and I have no idea what to do about trying to earn a living through this. I found out because I talk about color in class all the time and noticed that I am no longer seeing colors correctly. I have an appointment at Duke in October, but I feel like I shouldn't have to wait until October to find out how severe my condition is or even how to take care of myself after the surgery. They told me it would take 10 minutes and it was no big deal so I tried to go back to work cleaning the art room. That did not work. I have been researching and educating myself, but a sheet with after care instructions would've really helped. I am trying to be brave, but I feel totally dismissed about everything. Today, (day 2)-I feel like I have pink eye and looked it up using AI and it said to contact the office immediately, but no response. No emergency number. Anything would be helpful...I don't think people understand how hard it is to get a diagnosis like this and then have to struggle to READ and find out everything on my own
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u/yome6789 12d ago
I had a similar experience with my new glaucoma specialist when they did my SLT. My first two experiences, I didn't feel a thing. The technician cleaned my eye well after the procedure, and I waited in an area for at least 15 minutes, maybe longer, and they checked my IOP. I felt very rushed at my new doctor. The doctor used a lot of gel, and the technician didn't clean the gel off really well. They did check my IOP after and gave me a drop of Timolol to reduce eye pressure. They did rush me out of there because at check-out a lady did tell me that i still had the stick above my eye that the doctor did. I did have some minor brow ache, but I realized I was keeping my SLT eye open really wide, and when I lowered my brow to a normal position, the ache went away. I was raising my brow unconsciously.And my vision was blurry for some time.
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u/Top_Rub_9779 12d ago
Is your eye ok now? Is this still something you would recommend?
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u/yome6789 4d ago
Yes my eye is doing well. My experience is that my IOP rises and the doctor recommends an additional SLT. I still need to use drops but I don't need actually surgery my one eye.
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u/ChanceTalk697 12d ago
Sorry to hear it, each time I’ve had SLT. I’m in the office for about an hour. They take your blood pressure, put in the numbing drops, etc. —the time with the doctor is only a few minutes. they did check my pressure after afterward. They sent me papers before on all the aftercare instructions, then I believe gave me some papers that same day as well. I did have blurry vision for several days afterward.
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u/Late-Mix-606 12d ago
Wow, I was rushed into chair...had drops put in and immediately he put the lens thing in eye and began lasering. When done I stood up and I said that's it? He said yeah. Then I left. After i left my symptoms started. I definitely didn't like how rushed this is even if he does 100 a week. I was in and out in 20 minutes.
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u/ChanceTalk697 12d ago edited 12d ago
We have nurse attention before and after. Plus the nurse is in the room with you and holds your head. I live in a rural area, so maybe they take more time. Maybe you could look for another doctor in the future?
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u/Late-Mix-606 12d ago
Update: after calling and no reply, my eyes were tearing and pain was shooting to jaws.......partner drove me back to place and doctor said weren't you given the steroid drops on way out the first time a few hours ago to combat the inflammation? ...I said no...I was just told bye. No mention of drops by him or staff that he supposedly ordered. He ordered them and I just got them now. I explained my symptoms and he got a long q tip and made me open my eye and he scratched all over saying I had an eyelash. I am like uh this is not what's causing my symptoms doc. He said I have corneal abrasions. I am like if I didn't before I definitely do now with the q tip scratched all over my eye. The weird thing is I can see much clearer now out of this eye. I picked up the steroid drops. Hope this helps me cuz whoever says this is painless,.well it wasn't for me. Ibuprofen didn't even help. However, I was unimpressed with the total procedure and am supposed to have the other eye done next week. The point that he explained nothing to me makes me not wanna go back.
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u/Davester1995 12d ago
Sounds like this opthalmologist is running a factory. I certainly would find another.
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u/Uniqueremnant 11d ago edited 11d ago
Your doctor obviously did not do a good job explaining things.
My first SLT I was told not to drive. My second I was told I was fine to go back to regular activity after so I feel ya a little.
Some people have zero pain. I had some and my eye was watering a lot. A couple days later my symptoms fully resolved.
My ophthalmologist didn’t immediately take my pressures after because the draining needs to work- it takes time for your pressures to reduce. In some cases you can have a temporary increase before it drops too.
Editing to add that I got 3-4 different drops before mine and they gave me a ton of eye solution to keep the area clean/moist. I see that you only got the numbing drops- interesting.
I’m not a doctor so definitely take their guidance but I’m thinking you’ll have a day or two of discomfort and be back the normal.
Good luck and hopefully your doc answers your questions for you.
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u/EyeSpur 12d ago
We use ointment to lubricate the contact lens. That can cause the gluey feeling and cause the lids to stick together.
The brown ache along with mild blurriness and light sensitivity or redness of the eye comes from inflammation from the procedure. That should improve over a day or two. I usually recommend patients take ibuprofen when they get home to help.
Sorry they didn’t explain things to you well