In 2015, Carol visited her doctor for a routine eye exam. At the time, she was not having any vision issues, but her doctor did notice she had some optic nerve damage, ultimately diagnosing her with glaucoma and cataracts. In terms of treatment, Carol was prescribed eye drops in her right eye to help lower her eye pressure. After a few years, Carol found herself getting frustrated on the fairway as she was having difficulty seeing her ball. As an avid golfer and noticing her golf game was struggling, she made an appointment with a glaucoma specialist, where she learned her cataracts worsened. That’s when her doctor suggested cataract surgery and iStent inject® W.
Noticing The Changes
When Carol was initially diagnosed with glaucoma, she was not worried about the disease affecting her vision or possibly leading to blindness if left untreated. She accepted the fact that with age some medical issues would arise and was hopeful that the eye drops she was using would reduce the pressure in her eye. She also found comfort knowing she was not alone in her journey, as Carol’s next-door neighbor also has glaucoma and the two were able to share information about their diagnoses! As someone who loves the outdoors and being active, Carol can often be found gardening, walking, and of course, playing golf! However, as time went on and the blurriness persisted, Carol knew she needed to have her cataracts checked.
Carol kept her positive outlook but was very unhappy with her glaucoma specialist and took the advice of friends who suggested she visit Dr. Loan Ramsey at Swagel Wootton Eye Institute. After meeting with Dr. Ramsey, Carol learned her cataracts were ready to be removed. Ramsey also introduced Carol to iStent inject® W, one of the smallest medical implants known to be implanted in the human body and can effectively lower intraocular pressure, one of the most important risk factors for glaucoma. After learning more about the procedure, Carol and Dr. Ramsey scheduled an appointment to remove Carol’s cataracts in combination with placing the iStent inject® W implants.
Remaining Positive
Following the procedure, Carol has found relief knowing her glaucoma and cataracts have been treated and that she does not need to use eye drops anymore. One of her main concerns was not seeing her ball on the fairway, but she no longer has that issue – although she does wish her golf game would improve! She remains hopeful in the future that eye drops will not be needed.
Carol’s husband, who is a Swagel Wootton patient as well, was also diagnosed with cataracts and glaucoma. According to Carol, her husband is jealous that she had cataract removal surgery before him; however, recently he has been approved for cataract surgery and placement of the iStent inject® W, and Carol will be with him every step of the way!
PM-US-0935 Rev 1
