The Eye Care Revolution: Prevent & Reverse Common Vision Problems - by Robert Abel, Jr., M.D.
You can look inside the book and read customer reviews at the link.
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There is also an audio version of the book available.
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Posted by Janice70 (Member # 16319) on :
Pressure relating to glaucoma. I read that 21 or over means you probably have glaucoma.
Posted by Erica741 (Member # 15186) on :
If you are concerned about possible glaucoma, best to see an opthalmologist.
Since certain eye problems are common with Lyme (and I think optic nerve issues can be a problem), ideally see a Lyme-literate neuro-opthalmologist.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
Dr. Abel has a chapter about Glaucoma in the book linked in post above. On page 126, he says that one common factor many with glaucoma share is high blood pressure.
He also says (on p. 125) that there is more to it than eye pressure. It's too long to copy, but this is very well worth getting to read this chapter alone (34 pages).
You might try to cross search a researcher he quotes: Alan Robin, MD and his article in the December 1997 Issue of Ophthamology Times. Dr. Robin has a different way to assess beyond just eye pressure.
The Beaver Dam Eye Study and the East Baltimore Eye Survey - found that 40 % of people with glaucoma have "normal" pressure.
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So, if you are doing the very best you can to take care of yourself, treating lyme accordingly, etc., reading more about what you can do to help your eyes . . . that will all be empowering and may serve to protect your eyes.
Dr. Abel also discusses, in detail, nutritional therapy - and also how some medicines (and drug interactions) can actually be toxic to the eyes.
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There is also a great group of eye exercises you can find in this book/ DVD and on some You Tube videos:
Yoga for Your Eyes: Natural Vision Improvement Exercises by Meir Schneider
The Bates Method - "Better Eyesight Without Glasses" is also a good book, upon which the Yoga book is based.
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And this book, in addition to specifics on treating lyme/TBD, offers a great deal about how to take care of ourselves as lyme patients.
This book, by an ILADS member LLMD, holds great information about treatments options and support measures:
[ 19. January 2009, 05:53 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
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Erica makes a good point. In re-reading your headline, I see you saw an Optometrist.
You might ask your LLMD for a referral to a LL eye specialist - as Erica suggests, it's best to see a Lyme-literate neuro-opthalmologist if you have eye problems.
(Are you being treated for lyme? Do you have a LLMD? If so, have you discussed your eye symptoms with him/her? That would be important.)
Hi. Newbie here. I'm a very sick eye doc with Lyme, bartonella, and borelliosis. Eye pressure up to 29 may be normal. Not a very good test for glaucoma. Better to look for dammage to optic nerve (visual nerve) with dilated exam. When in doubt, a threshold visual field test (painless but boring) can be done to detect early glaucoma. Other reliable tests that can help pick up glaucoma include corneal pachymetry and gonioscopy. I agree that optic neuritis is a much greater concern with Lyme than glaucoma, but of course the possibility of glaucoma still exists in everyone. If you're quite concerned about glaucoma, easiest way to rule it out would be the visual field route. Maybe ask a glaucoma specialist for a second opinion. Hope this helps.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
breaking this up for us severe neuros to be able to read/comprehend. betty
quote:Originally posted by Rebekah:
Hi. Newbie here.
I'm a very sick eye doc with Lyme, bartonella, and borelliosis.
Eye pressure up to 29 may be normal. Not a very good test for glaucoma.
Better to look for dammage to optic nerve (visual nerve) with dilated exam.
When in doubt, a threshold visual field test (painless but boring) can be done to detect early glaucoma.
Other reliable tests that can help pick up glaucoma include corneal pachymetry and gonioscopy.
I agree that optic neuritis is a much greater concern with Lyme than glaucoma, but of course the possibility of glaucoma still exists in everyone.
If you're quite concerned about glaucoma, easiest way to rule it out would be the visual field route. Maybe ask a glaucoma specialist for a second opinion.
Hope this helps.
rebekah,
welcome and thank you so much for sharing your expertise!!
do you have a llmd, lyme literate md; if not, post in seeking dr. forum.
subject: show the state you live in, LLMD NEEDED
your above comments i broke up with be a wonderful addition on there for your introduction as well!
i would have sent the below to you by private message, PM, but you have NOT enabled that feature. that is how we send llmd names to newbies. they are NOT to be posted on public board ok.
if you are interested in getting pms, click on your PROFILE ABOVE, chose UPDATE PROFILE, and go to the bottom where it asks about private messages and chose YES. click update; done.
if you chose later to STOP it, do same procedure and show no again ok
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Welcome; i'm so glad you found us!! You've come to the right place for education and support!
Betty's suggested POSTING GUIDELINES . many of us have neuro lyme where we can NOT read long solid block text and be able to comprehend and read it as is.
please edit your post by CLICKING PAPER/PENCIL ICON to right of your name. that opens up BOTH subject line and body text.
now please break up your WORDY SENTENCES into one sentence paragraphs. Then hit ENTER KEY ``TWICE`` after each paragraph; we need that space for comprehension.
then go to left hand corner and mark box to receive ALL REPLIES, and click EDIT SEND
we thank you for helping us; otherwise, we will SOB, SCROLL ON BY, since we can't read to help you. If I see posts like this, I SOB them; to hard on me. ------------------------------------------------------
People seeking doctors might be able to get help from their state online information and support group. Nearly 3,400 people belong to state groups. Some of the groups are small but more than 20 of them have 50 or more people and seven have over 100.
The groups are moderated and you have to apply. Most don't allow doctor names, but once on the group, you can ask for doctors in a certain area and ask people to email you privately. *******************************************
This explains the medical politics around lyme WHY you need an ILADS-educated or ILADS-member LLMD (and there are also some ILADS-member LL NDs (naturopathic doctors):
You should also be evaluated for coinfections. Not all tests are great in that regard, either, but a good LLMD can evaluate you and then guide you in testing. One of the top labs is:
"With most infections, your immune system first forms IgM antibodies, then in about 2 to 4 weeks, you see IgG antibodies. In some infections, IgG antibodies may be detectable for years.
Because Borrelia burgdorferi is a chronic persistent infection that may last for decades, you would think patients with chronic symptoms would have positive IgG Western blots.
But actually, more IgM blots are positive in chronic borreliosis than IgG. Every time Borrelia burgdorferi reproduces itself, it may stimulate the immune system to form new IgM antibodies.
Some patients have both IgG and IgM blots positive. But if either the IgG or IgM blot is positive, overall it is a positive result.
Response to antibiotics is the same if either is positive, or both. Some antibodies against the borrelia are given more significance if they are IgG versus IgM, or vice versa.
Since this is a chronic persistent infection, this does not make a lot of sense to me. A newly formed Borrelia burgdorferi should have the same antigen parts as the previous bacteria that produced it.
But anyway, from my clinical experience, these borrelia associated bands usually predict a clinical change in symptoms with antibiotics, regardless of whether they are IgG or IgM." ===========
ILADS The International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) provides a forum for health science professionals to share their wealth of knowledge regarding the management of Lyme and associated diseases.
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otherwise, we will SOB, SCROLL ON BY, since we can't read to help you. If I see posts like this, I SOB them; to hard on me.