Hi Walt: hope this question isn't out of your field. I had a lens implant six days ago and I am supposed to take
the anti-biotic drops one week and Pred Forte for two. This is prednisolone acetate 1%; the list of warnings is
frightening, especially "the use of steroids after cataract sugery may delay healing and increase the incidence of bleb
formation". My vision is still fuzzy in that eye, I assume due to swelling of the cornea. It improves a little each day. Do I really need to take the Pred Forte another week? Thanks, Martha
Follow Ups:
Re: Pred Forte eye drops
Posted by Walt Stoll on February 22, 1999 at 11:25:37:
In Reply to: Pred Forte eye drops posted by Martha on February 21, 1999 at 19:55:16:
Hi, Martha.
ONLY your surgeon can answer that for you AND SHOULD!
There are risks & benefits for ALL medications and that balance depends totally on the situation and the person involved. CALL YOUR DOC TODAY & GET THOSE ANSWERS WITHOUT DELAY!
Walt
Follow Ups:
Re: Pred Forte eye drops
Posted by Martha on February 23, 1999 at 17:09:20:
In Reply to: Re: Pred Forte eye drops posted by Walt Stoll on February 22, 1999 at 11:25:37:
Who gets a doctor to call back these days? A technician
from his office called back after I left the question and
said Dr. prescribes the drops because they do promote healing and after the second week he will probably reduce them from 4 to 3 drops per day and continue weekly tapering
off. When I see him in a week, I can question him personally but it looks like tapering off is essential anyway. Thanks for your input. Martha
Follow Ups:
Re: Pred Forte eye drops (Bah! Humbug!)
Posted by Walt Stoll on February 24, 1999 at 12:40:02:
In Reply to: Re: Pred Forte eye drops posted by Martha on February 23, 1999 at 17:09:20:
Dear Martha,
MORE gobbledegook! Prednisone reduces inflammation while it REDUCES healing. I would not put it past the doc to tell the technician to tell you that because the technician may not know the truth either.
There are times when reducing inflammation is more important that preventing infection or speeding healing and THAT is why I urged you to call. There is no way I could know those conditions from here.
Isn't having a monopoly wonderful? One can do any d--m thing one wants and usually get away with it.
NOW, if you happen to get an infection that blinds you, hopefully you will know that the prednisone contributed to that possibility. You will NOT get that information from the doc that prescribed it. Maybe now is the time for you to be reading the package insert.
Walt
Follow Ups:
Re: Pred Forte eye drops
Posted by Martha on March 04, 1999 at 10:43:41:
In Reply to: Re: Pred Forte eye drops (Bah! Humbug!) posted by Walt Stoll on February 24, 1999 at 12:40:02:
I saw the surgeon today, 15 days after surgery. I told him
that I had read the side effects and didn't want to use the
drops. He said the side effects were worse without using
the prednisone and that he didn't prescribe steroids without
careful consideration. He used the words "with your cornea"
to justify their use but also said he prescribed them every
day. Anyway, I have to use them twice a day for two more
weeks and that is all. I will go back to my usual eye doctor in two weeks and perhaps he will tell me more. In talking to the technician first, she said she was never told about the possible side effects--they were just told the drops promoted healing. Thanks for alerting me. Martha
Follow Ups:
Re: Pred Forte eye drops (again: bah humbug)
Posted by Walt Stoll on March 05, 1999 at 10:26:07:
In Reply to: Re: Pred Forte eye drops posted by Martha on March 04, 1999 at 10:43:41:
Hi, Martha.
This is a good example of someone doing something because he has always done so and do not confuse him with the facts.
EVERYONE knows that the cornea heals itself in 48 hours without prednisone and 2 weeks with it. During that delay the system is open to infection which is the bane of eye surgeons.
This guy is only getting away with this because of the monopoly. Likely he has not read any of the world research about this for the past 30 years.
SIGH! Walt