Hello to all readers. I have recently had my Welsh Terrier diagnosed with Glaucoma (a disease of the eye where the pressure rises and damages the vision). This is a very painful disease. To help in the monitoring of the pressures I am looking to find a Tono-pen. This is placed on the cornea and measures the pressure within. It is very expensive to buy new, so I wondered if anyone had a second hand one, or could arrange a (possible) long term loan? Or does anyone know someone who could help?
Thank for reading this. Any info is greatly appreciated.
Sam

Hi Sam, sorry to hear your news. My Father's had glaucoma for more than 15 years and is controlled (well his eyes are!) with drops twice a day. He's 80 years old and still driving. I'm checked annually as they think it's hereditary. Don't know where you are in the country but Peter Bedford at the Royal Veterinary College in Hertfordshire won an award many years ago from Moorfield's (human) Eye Hospital for helping THEM with glaucoma, so there is certainly knowledge out there if you need it. Of course you'll worry Sam, we all do when it's ours, but I hope that this is a little reassurance that glaucoma isn't toooo dreadful. Good luck.

My First and very beloved Labrador Vicky developed Glaucoma when she was ten my Vet used to say she wasnt in pain,and one day I was sitting next to an elderley Lady in the Doctors and she said how really painful it was and it made me realise that her eye looked terribly painful, I went to different Vet and he said that he would recommend removing her eye I was really upset as I didnt know how she would manage,as it happened the operation gave her a complete new lease of life once she started navigating round and after a few bumps she was wonderful she was like an old dog before the op but not after I swear it gave her another two years of happy painfree life she looked ok too,of course now there will be better drugs to use and more advanced techniques and of course it depends on the severity of the problem How old is your Dog ? Good Luck and let us know how things progress.

There are two types of glaucoma affecting dogs. I am told by Prof Peter Bedford it is the most painful condition to have especially for a dog. While I do not wish to scare you, I would suggest you get a referral to Prof. Bedford ASAP. The "pen" you ask about would not be readily available here. Really glaucoma in dogs is something for the experts. Prof. Bedford won the David Cole Travel Fellowship for his pioneering work at Moorfields, he is the only vet to have ever been awarded this prestigious award.
If the dog has primary glaucoma, the drainage angle to the eye is either blocked or partially blocked this is referred to as "predisposition to glaucoma, the dog will get full blown glaucoma if it is triggered by another factor and unless treated the dog will go blind in a matter of hours. If the glaucoma is the other type dogs suffer from then it will need to be seen by a veterinary opthalmologist anyway. Prof Bedford is based at the Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms.