vol2 - Page 227
Page 227
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.>:.:.
and was an Assistant Professor in Surgery at the College of
! ....... Medicine. _ am now on the staff at the University of North
Carolina Hospitait Chapel Hill, North Carolina°
_. On September 9_ 1976 Robert Randall became my
private patient. A thorough ocular examination showed that
Robert Randall ha4 ch=onlc open-angle @!aucomao This disease
is characterized by elevated intra=ocular pressure (XOP) which
i_ uncontrolled results in damage to the optic nerve° _OP
..... within a range of I0 to 20mmo is considere_ safe an4 should
not cause damage to the optic nerve. The examination of Robert
Randall revealed substantial damage to the optic disc of both
eyes as a result of uncontrolled XOPo Visual field examination
/+
revealed a marked loss of sight in the right eyes particularly
within the central field. Visual acuity (a measure of visual
sharpness, ability _o distinguish contours) has ranged from
_0/200 (legally blind) to 20/60 depen,_ing upon the patients
routine of conventional medication..'Visual acuity in the left
eye is correctable to 20/20, but with diminished peripheral
vision.
3° For a period of two months, September to Novem-
ber of i976_ _ examined Robert Randall while he was on a routine
of conventional glaucoma control medi,zineso These medications
includeS: Phosopholine _odide at .06%_ Glaucon at 2.0% and
occasional use o_ Diamox. These druqs_ even when employed at
their highest permltted dosages, were not capable of reducing
Robert Randall_s elevate4 ._OP to within the safe range throughout
I
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the course of the days These drugs, =herefore, were ineffective
in treating his diseaseo Treatment with conventional medications
alone will not prevent Robert Randall's blindness.
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