Simply..Seeing Or Not....

21/4/2017

I wish I'd known when I was first diagnosed with macular degeneration that -

Blind does not mean total blackness with this condition.

AMD often develops very slowly. (Something else might get you first!)

Not everyone who has dry AMD goes on to develop advanced AMD or wet AMD. It is possible that some people may be living with early AMD over decades without serious effect. We can't know because as the opthalmologist pointed out, these would be the ones who don't attend clinics...

Some of the best minds are working on a cure as I write. Just in the few years since I was diagnosed there have been developments in stem cell therapy and implants.

Big Pharma is spending Big Money to find a cure.

Meanwhile the best hope appears to be good nutrition....and supplements such as Macushield.

10 Comments

Swissrose link

20/4/2017 11:36:30 pm

Indeed, Freda - my granny had AMD and was 100. She could still see well enough to recognise people and read (on paper and screen!) until the end, and she retained her colour vision, too. My mother has had retinal detachment problems for the last 15 years with several operations and also remains very active, visually. In fact, after a cataract operation on her "good" eye (60% vision), she was able to give up glasses after 70 years... (Granny also profitted from her cataract op!)
I think it's very difficult to explain the experience of visual difficulties and probably quite an individual thing, too. Naturally, it's a shock when you get the initial diagnosis and bound to be worrying. I'm pleased to hear you sound positive and hope with you that you will have as few restrictions as possible and be able to enjoy your sight for long to come!

Freda

21/4/2017 01:50:59 pm

Dear Swissrose i so appreciate you telling me this! It is just so encouraging to hear of people who cope. Thank you so much.

Viv link

21/4/2017 12:21:42 am

Your eyes are so precious and I am sure you are right about the good nutrition. My dad had this condition - the wet kind and at that time little research had been done so it was too late for him to try and prevent it getting any worse but I know there is so much research being done now and although no cure has been found they do know what helps. I take a Solgar eye formula as this AMD can be known to run in families and I do have many problems with my eyes - not AMD yet - most opticians say that redheads have the most sensitive eyes - I often feel like they get sunburned quickly like my skin!! I am sure you are following the research closely yourself but if I do come across anything new I will keep you posted.

Freda

21/4/2017 01:55:30 pm

How kind of you to share Viv. I'm sorry to hear you have eye problems too - as you say our sight is so precious we must take what steps we can to protect it and thank you for saying you will pass on any new information - there is a lot of misinformation too unfortunately. Thank you for commenting.

Julia

21/4/2017 03:40:44 am

as with any condition that we will develop, and we all will have something.....it is not the "whole" of who we are...just one tiny aspect of a complete and unique human being...and that, we certainly are. (At at least, in my humble opinion, all the commentators on this blog certainly are special and unique!)

Freda

21/4/2017 01:56:37 pm

All commentators on this blog are indeed unique Julia and very special to me! x

cath

21/4/2017 07:09:01 am

Good nutrition is so important, albeit a bit difficult these days I find to figure out, as there are so many contradictory opinions.

Freda

21/4/2017 01:58:14 pm

It is difficult with so much misinformation too - we have to be careful about our sources.

Lotta link

21/4/2017 10:34:24 am

It's astonishing that you weren't told any of those things at the time of diagnosis Freda. I often wish that medical professionals understood how detrimental fear and stress are to health.
I like 'something else might get you first' - that's how I try to look at most future things that worry me - they may never happen the way I think! None of us can know, and it's easier to stay in the here and now that way.

Freda

21/4/2017 02:01:30 pm

It was a horrible experience (of more anon) but I have since found a better optician, doctor and opthalmologist who are supportive and interested.

Simply..Seeing Or Not....

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