Nia Malene Martin was just a teenager when she was diagnosed with glaucoma. She had to stop driving and couldn’t go out with friends at night; she became lonely and depressed.
I have several eye conditions: glaucoma, inflammation and ocular edema, which is a build-up of fluid in the macula. Specialists aren’t able to find any underlying reason as to why my eyes are particularly susceptible.
I had been experiencing foggy vision and rainbow halos when I looked at light. I was referred to an ophthalmologist who started me on a full range of tablet and eye-drop medication.
The diagnosis totally changed my life. It was shocking at first. I didn’t know what glaucoma was and I became depressed. I couldn’t continue with school and sat in my room playing music. Unfortunately, my family didn’t really understand my problem and I started living on my own and had to find work. I remember feeling very alone.
My family didn’t really understand my problem and I started living on my own. I remember feeling very alone.
At that point, my eyesight was failing. Vision in my left eye was just five per cent — although it was better in my right eye at 90 per cent. I am now scrupulous with eye drop treatment, and my left eye currently has 40 per cent vision. Vision in my right eye went as low as 20 per cent, although I had surgery in 2016 and it’s now up to 40 per cent.
Living with glaucoma has been difficult. Many people don’t understand the condition and it has affected me socially. I can’t drive anymore, and I don’t always feel comfortable going out with friends at night when I can’t see where I’m walking.
There are no guarantees it will continue, but vision in both my eyes is now stable. I aim to keep it that way! Medication has changed drastically over the last 32 years. It’s much better now.
My advice to anyone who thinks they may have glaucoma is: don’t wait. See an ophthalmologist. I run a glaucoma support group for people who are terrified they will go blind — and my advice to them is: breathe. Everything is going to be okay. And the earlier it is found and treated, the better the outcome.
