Luck or Exercise?

I took a special visual field test yesterday that centers on the central field of vision. Glaucoma progresses from the periphery inward. My right eye is worse than my left although the vision is actually better. Go figure. I went back today for a pressure check. Last time they were inching higher which is scary. Today they read 13 left eye and 15 right eye, which is great news! 

Is it that I'm administering 3 different medications thrice daily, or that I went back to the gym? I don't know. I'm glad I worked out this morning although I was hesitant to push weights, but then I thought I should do my regular routine anyway. What good is a pressure check if it's not measuring your eyes after a normal routine, right? 

My doctor shows me the left eye scan and says that this, coupled with my brother's history of retinal trouble, indicates a potential problem with blood flow. Sometimes glaucoma isn't due to high pressures, but instead, low blood flow to the optic nerve. So higher blood pressures would be good here. Except I find that option scary since there is a history of stroke and high blood pressure in my family. 

The doctor advises me to look into Chinese herbal remedies since modern medicine offers nothing for this low blood flow issue. My own personal feeling is that the genetic skin condition Ichthyosis Vulgaris (IV) is also linked to connective tissue disorders. Mine are minor compared to someone diagnosed with EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome). But having blood vessels and tissues that are sensitive to compression might also be affecting blood flow to the eyes. I'll have to research this further. Maybe I can eat licorice after all? 

Meanwhile, more members are returning to the gym, but with familiarity comes laxity. Old people pull their masks down to chat with friends they haven't seen in months. Uh, that defeats the purpose of a mask, honey, and no, I don't care how long it's been or the fact that you don't think you're sick and neither does she. Mask up because if you get sick the Health Dept will close the gym down and nobody wants that!  

17Sept2020
Brisk Thursday

Precor elliptical
35 min
Program 3
HR 147, 194, 123
Cal 313
Distance 2.83

Crunches x 2 x 60
50 Bicycles
Piriformis Stretch
Plank 60s
Fire Hydrants 25 x 2
Bird Dogs 60s x 2
Piriformis Stretch
Pushups 25
Quick Mat Stretch

Walking Lunges
20, 20

Smith Inclined Press
Bar (30) x 15
+20 x 15
+40 x 15 x 3

Seated Cable Row (light)
70 lbs x 15 x 3

Matrix Step
Speed 5
Min 15
HR 115
Cal 104
Steps 699
Floors 43