[tri-med] Glaucoma/Pneumonia and medications

Last Tuesday Andrew (4 mo. old)  was diagnosed with glaucoma. The 
local eye Dr. put him on some eye-drop medication to try to control 
the pressure in the eye. His left eye is much higher (around 40 
initially) than his right eye (around 28). We were referred to the 
Casey Eye Institute in Portland, OR  (Part of Oregon Health Science 
University)  We met with a specialist there on Friday who checked his 
eye pressure and dialated his eyes and checked his optic nerves. The 
medication brought the pressure down a little but not enough in his 
left eye. She suggested surgery to try to open up the "drain" around 
the eyes so as not to have the pressure, which causes damage to the 
optic nerve which results in blindness. Well he is coming off a bout 
of pneumonia, about the 8th day on antibiotics and the 
anethesioligist would like to wait 2 weeks so as not to have any 
complications after the surgery with his lungs.  In the meantime 
Andrew is on 3 medications to keep the pressure down. Two eyedrops 
(Betaxolol, and Xalctan) and  an oral called Acetazolamide (Diamox). 
He has been on this one day and the problem is the side effects. He 
has lost his appetite and to make matters worse has diarreah which 
concerns us about him getting dehydrated. Also the Betaxolol has a 
possible side effect of breathing difficulties, which Andrew has 
always seemed to breath laboriously and now seems worse. This causes 
much concern and anxiety to my wife as we both are riding this 
roller-coaster of emotions.

It becomes a decision based on balancing out the two conditions: 1) 
Have surgery now to reduce the pressure and hopefully preserve his 
eyesight but risk the possibility of complications to his lungs due 
to the pneumonia, or 2) Continue with the medications and having to 
deal with the side-effects, or I guess the 3rd would be to stop the 
medications.

Any advice/support would be much appreciated.

Shaun and Anne,
Parents to Andrew T13 (4 mo.), William 2 yrs, Caleb 4 yrs, and Jacob 7 yrs.
Grants Pass, OR
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