Just been diagnosed with (dry) macular degeneration. I feel very down. My brother is blind through this disease. He was diagnosed in the January and was blind by August. Unfortunately, my hobbies are painting, writing and reading. I know it is not the end of the world but it is a big shock as I had no idea my eyes were a problem.
I really like Kale though. Reading other blogs of people who are struggling with the taste I am lucky.
Hi Muriel, very sorry to hear about your brother, no wonder you feel so down. Sending you a hug x
It does sound as if he had wetmd, your drymd is much slower acting.
Have you contacted the Macular Society? They have a great deal of info on their website, great helpline, and offer 1 to 1 support.
The shock is awful isnt it? Have a good cry and let it out !
Sending you best wishes going forward x
I was diagnosed with dry AMD a few years ago and it hasn't worsened as eyesight has said already yours is different to your brother's- just keep a check on it- do you have one of the cards so you can see if all lines look as they should? the macular society will let you have one - good for an early warning of problems
Hi Muriel, ive just read another blog here called "i want to help by sharing info". In it is alink to mymacularjournal by a lady called sue who has lost central,vision. It is well written, lots of emotional support stuff, good techie ideas. She is usa based but the info travels well. I reccommend it.
I would like to thank the people who have commented on my post. It was a help. I do have another eye problem Blepharitis in both eyes and I don't know if that is what is making it difficult to open my eyes in the morning and during the night if I have to go to the bathroom. I have to find my way by feeling along the wall. I don't think this has anything to do with the macular degeneration but it makes me realise what it would be like to be blind. By breakfast time, after cleaning my eyes with special liquids from the chemist I am ok. It is good to write this down as I don't tell anyone much about my problems.
Muriel
Hi Muriel_Olivia,
Hope you are doing well. I'm sorry to hear about your brother. Dry eye is such an irritating disease, but there are advanced treatment techniques available for this disease. Since you have Blepharitis, you should treat that before getting treatment for dry eyes. Which type of Blepharitis are you suffering from? Anterior or posterior? Try to maintain eyelid hygiene and massage your eyelid gently. Use commercial lid scrub to cleanse your eye lids. Since you have both dry eyes and Blepharitis, you should choose your eye drops only with the guidance of your eye doctor. There are advanced treatment methods for treating Dry eye. Lipiflow treatment is one among them ( evergreeneye.com/news-event... ). This procedure can be done without any risk and complication by applying direct energy to the eye lid. It is better to look for such treatments after consulting your eye doctor. All the best.
Elizabeth, I don't know which type of Blepharitis I have but I am feeling quite frightened because I can't open my eyes properly in the mornings for quite a few minutes. I can open them but they shut until I clean the eyes with liquid and eye drops. This has been going on for at least a year but again nobody gives me an answer. I have been discharged from the hospital with the diagnosis : Bilateral chronic blepharitis, Both eyes dry macular degeneration. And to phone the hospital if my eyesight gets worse. I will look up the website you have mentioned. Many thanks.
Muriel
Hi
I was told I have blepharitis & was told to dissolve some bicarbonate of soda in warm water & dip a cotton bud in the solution & gently wash/rub at the roots of the eyelashes & its working. She said I should do it everyday to stop it returning.
Hope this helps.
I too am newly diagnosed & waiting to see consultant to find out if I have wet or dry. I am terrified.
Dear Muriel_Olivia,
I am sorry to read that you are feeling very down.
The impact of the diagnosis of any eye condition is generally compared to experiencing a bereavement. Individuals frequently go through very similar feelings and responses but in no set order. We do have a free telephone counselling service which can be particularly useful when an individual is initially coming to terms with the diagnosis. Please contact us for further details if this is of interest.
The dry type is primarily related to the ageing process and is more common in individuals over the age of 55 years. The deterioration is generally slow and over a period of months and years. However, how fast and how far the condition deteriorates is variable between individuals. There is currently no treatment for it, however, we talk about the importance of lifestyle considerations which can hopefully have a positive impact on eye health and potentially slow down the deterioration a little. Therefore, for instance, exercise is good for general health as well as eye health. It is important to try and maintain a healthy weight, keep blood pressure under control and avoid smoking. Research indicates that being careful with regard to nutrition can potentially have a positive impact on eye health as well as general health and it is important to be careful with regard to protecting your eyes from the harmful effects of the sun. Please contact us if you would like us to send out more information on this for you.
Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss any of your concerns further.
Our helpline is open 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday on 0300 3030 111.
Kind regards,
Muriel, I am so sorry about your brother. I can understand why you are feeling down. Eyesright below kindly posted about the website I have with a friend who had her dry MD progress such that she had to suddenly quit working, driving and reading in the same way as she had before. She's a psychologist and is writing journal pages about her experience and sharing what she knows about therapy by applying it to herself. She's funny and honest and I think reading her pages would help you. There is also all kinds of information about AMD on the website (that's my part--the research). Please check us out at:
You'll see that we also have a new Facebook page. If you have problems with the site or other questions, please email me directly at light2sight5153@gmail.com
Hugs, Linda...
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