Support for blind elderly

[Fran555]

I have several risk factors for glaucoma and my question is: if I go completely blind in later life, would I get any help and support? I have no family, and am terrified at the prospect of being dumped at home with noone at all coming in, basically left to starve to death. I don't want to sound melodramatic, but this does really worry me. Advice about special microwaves and online shopping would not help, as at 80 I might not have the ability to cope with these. And these things would not prevent me from falling or from being unable to read water bills or gas bills when they arrive or from being unable to go out to pay them.

[Jennymary]

Firstly, as someone who is registered blind but has vision in one eye, 96% of people registered blind have some degree of vision, as regards help and support should this happen to you (it may not) it might be worth a call to Glaucoma UK and or RNIB, also, there may be a local support group you can contact

[muddledme]

Hello Fran555,

I agree with Jennymary that the support groups may help put your mind at rest.

Imagining what might happen is usually much worse if you do not know what to expect.

There was such a helpful webinar by Glaucoma UK called" My Glaucoma is getting worse. What might happen?" It was in August last year but should be available on the Glaucoma UK website . Many helpful things were mentioned such as registering with S.Services if you have impaired sight, Attendance Allowance, Free bus travel,reduced TV licence, Guide dogs, support groups, Blind Veterans UK etc etc.

It sounds as though you are very aware of the risk factors of Glaucoma so that you may make sure you always get your eyes checked regularly and moniter your health.

A very large percentage of people are not so aware , even if they have the disease, so I would think you have a head start !

Best wishes

[Redshoes15]

Hi Fran, I can fully sympathise with your feelings as I too have no family and if my husband pre-deceases me (we are both 71) I would have no-one to help me either. I have glaucoma with some loss of peripheral vision but can still see quite well at present. I’m just hoping I can hang on to enough sight to see me out as I too dread the thought of not being able to live independently. It’s horrifying and I worry about it all the time.

[Fran555 in reply to Redshoes15]

Thank you for replying. I am so sorry that you are feeling and thinking the same way that I am and can see why you do. It is terrifying. It does help to know that I am not alone in having these thoughts and feelings though. I hope with all my heart that you retain enough sight to see you out. I have had cancer and an aneurysm, and I have asthma, so am hoping that something else might crop up to take me away before possibly losing my sight.

[Redshoes15 in reply to Fran555]

Bless you, you have certainly been through a lot and I can understand that the last thing you need is to worry about glaucoma. It sounds as if you haven’t actually developed it yet, which is a good sign - and even if you do there is a lot that can be done to halt its progression. We must all try not to worry too much, as often things are not as bad as we feared. Take care and thank you for letting me know I am not alone xx

[Longwalks3]

Hi Fran555, I totally agree with what has been said by the others who have responded to you. I also want to reassure you that if you do develop glaucoma any changes to your vision are almost certain to develop gradually over a number of years and you will therefore have time to adapt and find coping mechanisms. I am 62 and was diagnosed with glaucoma in my early 40s. Unfortunately I already had significant damage to my visual fields on diagnosis but went on with life as normal, including looking after my family, working as a teacher and driving until very recently. In the last few years I have had a number of problems with the management of my glaucoma and I am now no longer allowed to drive and I have retired from teaching. Having said that, I am still perfectly capable of living independently and I don’t see that changing any time soon. Treatments for glaucoma are improving all the time and very, very few people nowadays end up with no useful sight. Funnily enough, I think one thing living through the current pandemic has helped me to see is the importance of seizing the moment and enjoying life right now as we don’t know what the future will bring.

[Hidden in reply to Longwalks3]

Good morning to you I read with interest your reply to Fran555 as age wise and glaucoma diagnosis are similar to mine. Could you tell me if you have had any surgery or are the eye drops keeping the pressure low enough

[Longwalks3 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Odta, I have had a lot of surgery over the last four years. Unfortunately the drops have stopped working for me - I seem to be intolerant to everything available in the UK. I won’t go into all the details because it sounds a bit gruesome and most people have a more straightforward time than I have had. I have been unlucky as my eyes are particularly tricky to operate on as they are deep set and the tissue is thin because I am very myopic. At the moment I am using no glaucoma drops and keeping my fingers crossed that the surgery and laser treatment will continue to keep my pressures low enough to prevent further sight loss.

[Hidden in reply to Longwalks3]

Bless you I was sorry to hear of your glaucoma struggle and wish you all the very best in the future. I am currently waiting for a date for my trabeculectomy surgery after about 20 years of using various drops.

[Longwalks3 in reply to Hidden]

I wish you every luck with your procedure. I know many, many people find that that this operation works very well for them.

[Hidden in reply to Longwalks3]

Thank you for your best wishes