Tanya

[Lyndaloo]

Hi l was told 2years ago that I had macular degeneration by my optician and the only thing I should do was to take I cap tablets to help stunt the condition this I have been doing but I feel it's getting worse .should I be doing more ?

[JJnan]

Hi, im sure there are more qualified people on here than me but as far as i know the only treatment is Lucentis or Eylea injections , i would get a referal from opticion or GP for an appointment to a Macular Clinic at once as it could affect your sight x

[Lyndaloo in reply to JJnan]

Thanks for your advice jjnan I'll go back to the optician and. My doctor x

[Raemar]

Hi Lyndaloo, the fact that your optician told you to take a supplement would indicate that you had the 'dry' type of AMD. There is no treatment for this at the moment. However you have noticed that it's getting worse which is a flag for an immediate follow up as you my be developing the 'wet' type in which case speedy treatment is essential. One indication of wet type AMD is distortion of straight lines such as wavy text when reading. Go to your optician today and ask to see an Amsler grid which is like a blank crossword puzzle with a black dot in the centre that you look at one eye at a time. Any distortion of the lines could indicate wet AMD. Hope this helps a little and best of luck.

[Rosalyn-helpline Partner]

Dear Lyndaloo,

I am sorry to read about your concerns. You do not make reference to the apparent speed of deterioration. If the deterioration has been relatively rapid, then it is best to err on the side of caution and attend the opticians as soon as possible.

Dry AMD is related to the ageing process and is more common in individuals over the age of 55 years. The deterioration is generally relatively slow and usually 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 various lifestyle considerations which can hopefully have a positive impact on eye health and possibly potentially slow down the deterioration a little.

10-15% of people with the dry type go on to develop wet AMD in the same eye. Therefore it is important that if an individual does notice any sudden eye changes, that they act rapidly and go to the optometrist so that they can check behind their eyes. Alternately, they can attend the emergency eye clinic usually located within the hospital.

If the optometrist identifies possible wet, then the Royal College of Ophthalmology guidelines indicate that they must do a fast track referral on the day of the appointment, via fax, straight through to the eye clinic, so that the individual can be seen and treated within 2 weeks. This therefore indicates the urgency of the situation.

Please do not hesitate to call us to discuss this further.

Our helpline is open 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday on 0300 3030 111.

Kind regards,

Macular Society Helpline

[JimGlanDwr]

I'm very surprised that the optician did not refer you to your GP or suggest you made an appointment ASAP. Then ask you GP to refer you to your hospital eye clinic. This I would say is a priority but 2 years too late.

I would suggest that you need to be seen by your GP and Eye Clinic to make sure you're safe to drive, then contact the DVLA and motor insurance company.

[Lyndaloo]

Thanks for all your help I will let you know how I get on .

[Ayayay80]

Indeed, Lyndaloo, have it checked out by an opthalmologist. In my case i was told in June 2016 by my optician on a routine eye check that I had ADM in both eyes, but did not need treatment yet and to come back for an eye test in one years time. I was not referred to an opthalmologist. I went to see my GP who referred me. Finally I got my first appointment at our eye clinic in August and was diagnosed with wet AMD in one eye and am now treated with Eylea injections. I shall never know whether my condition changed so rapidly (within two months) or whether it was worse than the optician thought in the first place.