Glaucoma

Sample PubMed cite¹

For background information see glaucoma.

Inflammation of the eyes is associated with other eye problems such as glaucoma. Medications can control high ocular pressure and most may be used along with the Marshall ProtocolA curative medical treatment for chronic inflammatory disease. Based on the Marshall Pathogenesis..

Ocular pressure may increase as uveitis resolves

As the uveitis gets better, the eye often starts to produce more fluid before the inflammationThe complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli such as pathogens or damaged cells. It is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli as well as initiate the healing process for the tissue. decreases sufficiently in the eye's drainage system. When the pressure rises as the uveitis is going away, there might be a temporary imbalance between how much fluid is being produced and how much the drainage network of the eye can handle.

When uveitis gets worse, the amount of fluid produced usually decreases (which helps keep the ocular pressure at safe levels). Ocular pressure tends to rise in the presence of steroids.

Medication

If you have trouble with high ocular pressures, you should be able to use a pressure-lowering eye drop. There are many drops that treat high ocular pressure. Their side effects are less severe than prednisone.

You might be able to add one of those drops and then wean more quickly from the prednisone. In the long run, you run more risks from the prednisone (cataracts, glaucoma, osteoporosis, diabetes, etc.). The steroids are also suppressing your immune system, and are making it harder for the antibiotics to help kill off the bacteria that are causing the sarcoidosis. ~Margo

Steroid Use with Glaucoma

The following reflects my understanding of some of the issues related to using a steroid when there are concerns about glaucoma. I would advise anyone to check out their particular situation with their eye doctor.

Ophthalmologists describe some patients as steroid responders - which just seems to mean that some people will experience this pressure rise, and others will not. Patients can also do fine on prednisolone eye drops for many years, and then experience a rise in ocular pressure. Some people will never have this reaction to prednisone.

Many times, people with uveitis are treated with forms of prednisone (such as prednisolone eye drops), even if they have glaucoma, because pred. is the standard drug for quickly reducing inflammation of the eyes. The problems with ocular pressure are treated with additional medications, and the ocular pressure is regularly monitored.

I imagine that if you need to take a steroid sometime, the eye doctor should be closely monitoring the ocular pressure. You might not experience the pressure rise at all, but it is a good idea to have the pressures checked. ~Margo

Members experiences

jcwat101: Joyce wrote: My dad has open angle glaucoma. He has been on the Marshall Protocol for about a year. He is 83 years old and we have been going very slowly on the MP.

re: Opthamologist visit: -The pressure in his right eye, the only one with significantly elevated ocular pressure, had decreased. So, perhaps the MP is helping it. We will be following the numbers over time. -The vision in his left eye seemed to also have improved some.

Freddie Ash: great eye report 18 months of MP. My eye doctor found: 1) NO inflammation 2) NO granulomas 3) NO macular degenerate 4) The cataract in right eye was NO worse that last year. 5) Eye pressure was 7 and 8 in the eyes. That is even better than some that I have had, some have been 11, 12, 13 at time. My eye doctor was well pleased with how the Marshall Protocol had helped my eyes.