Welcome to our GlaucoTips section. Here you will find tips from other glaucoma patients about everyday living with glaucoma. Special thanks to our Glaucoma Chat Support Group for sharing their tips to help create portions of GlaucoTips.

Patient Rights

• The right to be treated openly and fairly, not to be biased by race, gender, age, socioeconomic status or sexual preference
• The right to be treated with considerate and respectful care
• The right to confidential care
• The right to obtain all information regarding a visit with a doctor
• The right to informed consent prior to the start of any procedure and/or treatment
• The right to refuse treatment and to be informed of the medical consequences
• The right to receive a copy of medical records, consistent with individual and state statutes
  

Appointments

• Be on time for your scheduled appointments.
• Bring along any relevant insurance information or referrals if needed.
• Sometimes it helps to bring someone else along such as a friend or family member.
• Write a list of questions ahead of time.
• Know all your current medications and dosages, including those not for glaucoma.

Eye Drops

Tips for Remembering to put your drops in:

• Have a daily routine and stick to it.
• Post a note to remind yourself.
• Use drops in an order, for example, smallest to biggest or by color.
• Use your snooze alarm to time your morning drops.
• Store your drops near your toothbrush.
• Store your drops near your coffee pot.
• Number your bottles, ie: #1, #2, #3.

Tips for telling the difference between bottles of eye drops if you have decreased vision:

• Use rubber bands around the bottles to distinguish them.
• Remember the shape and size of the bottles.

Tips for instilling eye drops:

• Take your eye drops as prescribed by your doctor.
• Check your local pharmacy for aids to help put drops in.
• Keep drops cooled so you can feel them go in the eye.
• Keep the dropper clean and do not touch it with any part of your eye.
• Wash your hands first.
• Stand in front of the mirror.
• Use a handkerchief if tissues are too rough.
• Use your finger as a guide.
• Rest your hand on your face to help steady your hand.
• Make a pocket in your lower lid and instill the drop into the pocket.
• Occlude your tear duct by gently pressing the tear duct closed where the inner eye meets the nose for at least one minute.
• Don't pinch, since pinching could squeeze out the drops.
• Sing a nursery rhyme that will take you at least one minute while you occlude.
• Wait ten minutes between drops.

Tips for instilling eye drops in children:

• Have child place their hands on your shoulders and look up into your face.
• Have child choose favorite song to sing while caregiver opens their eye to administer drops.

Test Taking

Tips for getting eye pressure examined/checked:

• Stay focused, do not panic.
• Think of something pleasant.
• Think of it like a good golf swing.
• Relax, it only takes a few minutes.

Tips for taking visual field (VF) tests:

• Don't get uptight about them; they are an important diagnostic tool.
• You are allowed to blink, remember to blink
• Ask for time to adjust after they patch your eye if you feel you need it.
• Do the most critical eye first, when your attention is more acute.
• Make sure the patch is not pushing up against eye.
• Think of it as a video game; press the button when you see the light.
• Let your technician know if you are tired and need a break.
• Try to keep focused, stay comfortable, and ignore outside sounds.
• Ask your doctor to go over the test with you and explain it and your results.
• Keep a copy for your own records.

Coping

• Visit our chat room for support
• Visit the Bionic Eye message board for support
• Parents and children visit our GlaucoKids & Parents forum for support
• Inquire about local support group meetings in your area
• Plan a trip to some place you have never been before.
• Take time out not only to smell the roses but also to see the roses.
• Enjoy life to the fullest, glaucoma is NOT a death sentence.
• Have a sense of humor; sometimes laughter is the best medicine.
• Some people find it helps to talk about it to others such as family and friends.
• Help raise glaucoma awareness.

Glasses for Light-Sensitive People

• Amber-shaded glasses increase contrast and help cut out blue light.
• Amber glasses come in wrap-around and clip-on styles.
• Wear shades that wrap around.
• Mirrored sunglasses are very dark.

The Work Place

• A glare-reduction screen on your computer might help.
• Face away from any windows.
• Replace higher wattage bulbs with lower wattage ones.
• Use Sharpies, felt-tip, or dark pens for easier reading.
• Look out the window from time to time to break from computer screen.
• Click here for Working with Glaucoma chat highlights.

Driving

• If you don't feel comfortable driving, don't drive.
• Improve your driving skills by contacting a driver rehabilitation specialist.
• Limit driving to daytime only if night-time driving is too difficult.
• Always wear your seatbelt.
• Get a ride with family or friends.
• Check with local senior centers and local service organizations for van service.

Living Healthy

• Start and stick to an exercise regimen (check with your doctor first).
• Avoid yoga or any exercise that lowers your head below your heart.
• Maintain a proper diet.
• Avoid stress.
• Get an adequate amount of sleep.
• Avoid smoking.
• Limit alcohol consumption.

Click here for GlaucoTips chat highlights.