Bramwell’s story

With easy access to information and support from organisations like Glaucoma UK, we’re better equipped than ever.

Back in early 1970, during a family holiday aboard an overnight ferry to France, I had a bit of a scare. I turned to my wife and said, “I can’t see out of my left eye.” Thankfully, by morning, my vision had returned – a huge relief since I was towing a caravan and needed to see what I was doing. After the holiday, I faced a dilemma: should I go to the opticians or straight to the hospital? When I eventually went to the opticians, they redirected me to see my GP. Without delay, the GP sent me to the eye hospital, where they discovered that my eye pressures were dangerously high.

I was about 40 when I got diagnosed with glaucoma and knew very little about the disease. Although there was no known family history of glaucoma at the time of my diagnosis, since then, both of my sisters have also been diagnosed.

My wife took the initiative to seek information and, miraculously, managed to get in touch with Ronald Pitts Crick, who offered valuable advice. After that, I decided to join the Glaucoma Association when it was founded in 1974, becoming a proud member of the charity—and I have been ever since.

Glaucoma treatments were less advanced back in those days. I remember my first trabeculectomy operation vividly; after surgery under general anaesthetic, I was in a hospital bed with my head between two ‘bricks’, unable to move it. This was the situation for 36 hours post op. I remained in hospital for seven days. On discharge I was given strict instructions about head movements, particularly not to look down for any period when eating or reading. When I went back to work, as I regularly had a lot of documents to read, I had a special stand made for my desk in order that I could read looking straight ahead. This continued for about four weeks until the post op review. Fast forward 30 years to my most recent trabeculectomy, it was a day surgery procedure. This time – local anaesthetic, no special instructions. I was in hospital for three hours max, out and back home.

Finding information about glaucoma in the 1970s was a real challenge. But now, things have changed for the better. With easy access to information and support from organisations like Glaucoma UK, we’re better equipped than ever. Through the charity’s membership magazines and events like the AGM, I’ve stayed up to date with the latest breakthroughs in glaucoma care. Looking back, it’s incredible how far we’ve come since my first trabeculectomy.

For anyone who’s just been diagnosed, the first priority is to ensure you’re using your drops exactly as instructed. I know first-hand how challenging it can be, as I struggled with it too. Fortunately, there are now aids available to make it easier. With treatment, a glaucoma diagnosis doesn’t necessarily mean you will go blind – I’ve had it now for 50 years and the eyesight in my right eye is not very much worse than it was when it started. Additionally, since my last trabeculectomy in 2010 my eye pressures have maintained an acceptable level without the need for drops.

It’s fantastic that there’s a charity so dedicated to providing advice and support to those dealing with this disease. They even organise fundraising activities like walks and runs to raise awareness. I believe supporting a charity like this one is truly worthwhile.

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