A nursing home resident who is completely care-dependent uses multiple eyedrops for glaucoma. Recently we have determined that he is totally blind. Can the eyedrops he uses for his glaucoma be discontinued?—Hoa Le, St. Petersburg, Fla.
In patients with glaucoma who become completely blind, that is, who have no light perception vision, the therapeutic goal changes. We want to control the pressure adequately to prevent pain. Sometimes drops are needed to achieve this goal. For patients who still have their vision, see “Glaucoma: preventing the visual damage” (The Clinical Advisor, June 2008)—B. David Gorman, MD (122-7)
