Eye Specialists Examine Bush, Take Him Off Glaucoma Drug

Two prominent eye doctors confirmed Wednesday that President Bush has a mild form of glaucoma, but said he need not continue using prescription eye drops.

“Extensive testing of the eye, including detailed photographs, once again revealed no abnormalities and no visual loss,” said Dr. Burton Lee, the White House physician. “It was decided to stop the Betagan eye drops and follow him closely for now, on no treatment.”

Other physicians earlier prescribed the drops every 12 hours and said Bush would have to use them for the rest of his life.

Stephen Hart, deputy White House press secretary, said the decision to take the President off the medication was “simply a difference of opinion” with the other doctors.

Bush flew by helicopter to Bethesda Naval Hospital in nearby Maryland to be examined by Dr. Richard Brubaker of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and Dr. Harry Quigley of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Both physicians are considered to be experts on glaucoma.

The President spent about an hour in the hospital. Wearing dark glasses as he left, he flashed a thumbs-up sign to reporters as he was driven past in his limousine.

During his annual checkup on April 12, Bush’s physicians found the early-stage glaucoma. If untreated, glaucoma can cause gradual impairment of eyesight and, at worst, can lead to blindness.

Bush’s wife, Barbara, is being treated for double vision and other eye problems related to Grave’s disease.