Eye exams and caffeine
 

FYI I am posting this so you might avoid what happened to me. About two years ago during an eye exam I was told I had glaucoma, so the doctor prescribed drops. I found it hard to believe, because all my previous pressure readings were low, but my doctor dismissed my concern that the one high reading was because I drank mucho coffee before the exam. I ended up using the prescribed drops----until CRPS intervened and I was too ill to deal with getting another prescription for the drops.

When I visited the eye doctor yesterday I was caffeine free and my eye pressure was normal. She wanted to attribute the low reading to the drops, but I had not used them for over a year. This time she accepted that caffeine caused the anomalous reading, no glaucoma.

Research on the net confirms that caffeine can cause high ocular pressure. Avoid caffeine before having an ocular pressure test.

Bio thanks for this....I liked how they were so quick to say it was the prescription.....:hug:

Hi Bio,
Hmmmm. This is food for thought cause my eye sight is blurry a lot and I too enjoy my coffee. That's my only addiction (that I know of anyway...lol) and I do have more than others have told me was a reasonable amount...
Thanks for the info...

I too find this very interesting. Between my husband and I, we go through anywhere between 2-5 10 cup pots a day. Glaucoma has been in my family so it has always been a concern for me. I certainly do not want a false reading. I will keep this in mind next time I have an appointment.

I have read all to many stories of people saying that this is all in your head. No, this is all to real and, unfortunately, there is no cure. It is a pain, quite literally, to live with. There are many things that can help, things that can even send it into remission for some, but it is still there. I would welcome the fact that he would like to come to the appointment with you. I would make it clear that time at your appointment is limited, that you are the patient that needs to use this time to its utmost use for your own needs and concerns. To ask about the things that concern you the most, to receive the answers to your own questions and to hear what plans the doctor has for you. If after you are done, then he may ask all the questions he wants. You need to put yourself first while at the appointment.

This was a response to a post that has since been relisted as "Ugh"
neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread226560.html

Bio, I apologize I inadvertently posted on your post a thread of my own. I was struggling to get it removed. I did but in the meantime, purple responded. Thanks purple for the advice:hug: and bio sorry for temporarily hijacking your thread:hug:

thanks for the info bio. i have once cup of coffee daily and like russell, it is my only addiction. well that and chocolate. i do notice that if i have to much caffeine it makes my stomach pain worse. (i have rsd in my stomach as well as all my limbs, and it gets worse with caffeine products). i do have blurry vision more this year then ever before and my dr thinks its the increase of gabapentin as well as the rsd affecting my eyesight. it is very annoying but there is nothing they can do for me. thanks again for the info. i will try to cut back on my caffeine (well at least the chocolate). i need my one cup of coffee each day! it is my only indulgence.lol.

I was confused but now ....
 

I was reading this thread and suddenly was very confused when I read the ones that did not belong. Thanks for clearing that up. Your post was very helpful to know I had not lost my mind.

Thanks again.

Interesting
 

I have been diagnosed with narrow angle glaucoma. Maybe my coffee drinking before my eye appt. has mis-led my eye doc. I will NOT drink coffee before my next appt. and see if my pressures are better. I do not dispute the narrow angles or the elevated pressure, just wonder how much of the elevation is attributable to the coffee. My eye appts. always seem to be in the morning, right after I have loaded up with coffee in order to get me up and out.

Thanks for the info.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/37...-eye-pressure/

This article explains the effect of coffee/caffeine on intraocular pressure.

FYI I am posting this so you might avoid what happened to me. About two years ago during an eye exam I was told I had glaucoma, so the doctor prescribed drops. I found it hard to believe, because all my previous pressure readings were low, but my doctor dismissed my concern that the one high reading was because I drank mucho coffee before the exam. I ended up using the prescribed drops----until CRPS intervened and I was too ill to deal with getting another prescription for the drops.

Just FYI for us coffee and tea lovers. Caffeine has powerful effects on the neurovascular system and may have deleterious effects on CRPS for some. I had to cut it out altogether for about a year and only recently added in a single daily caffeinated shot to my decaf latte. Just sayin....it may be worth cutting to see if affects ones circulation and pain any.

:hug:

Thank you for all the information so far, even though this is not my thread, I have found it very informative. Littlepaw, I have been doing my best to cut back on my coffee addiction since sometime in July. I am down to 3-5 cups a day, which is far better than where I was then.