Improvement after two injections.

[cwc123]

Hospital appointment this week for my third injection for CNV. Before my first I could only read a few letters on the chart. I could read 43 at the first follow up appointment and this week I could read 54!!!!

The vision is still not great in that eye but hoping for even more improvement with further injections. Positive news for anyone just starting out on a course of treatment.

I have decided to try and stop worrying about the condition affecting my good eye. I will monitor it closely but get on with life and enjoy myself.

[rosyG]

that's very good news- which injection have you been having?

[cwc123 in reply to rosyG]

I am having Lucentis. I have myopic MD. Started with a blind spot last year. After 6 months of no change my vision rapidly deteriorated over about two weeks.

I had no problems with the first two injections but my eye is very bloodshot after this one. I had it on Monday. Does anyone know how long it is likely to last?

[Ayayay80]

Good news indeed, cwc. I am glad for you. You are right to think positive and not allow your eye condition to take over your life while at the same time you keep an eye on things, if you pardon the pun. Were you offered treatment when you noticed the blind spot in your eye a year ago or were you monitored?

Your bloodshot eye should be back to normal within a week or so. If there is no improvement you should contact the eye clinic. Very rarely, when they hit a small blood vessel, the bleeding does not stop or re-occurs and treatment is indicated.

Best wishes

[cwc123 in reply to Ayayay80]

Thanks Ayayay. My eye is not sore so I'll just wait and see.

When I first had the blind spot I went to the optician who told me it was nothing to worry about. I had had a yellow blob in my vision for some time before that but this has never been explained.

A month later another optician referred me to the hospital where I was told I had myopic MD. The blind spot was stable for 3 months and when my vision deteriorated I booked an emergency appointment. I was told there was new blood growth but as it looked stable I shouldn't worry but just bring my next appointment forward. I now wish I had insisted on treatment then as my vision deteriorated further a few days later. I was booked in for my first injection a few days after test. Since then the hospital has been great.

[Ayayay80 in reply to cwc123]

Your first optician was wrong to tell your blind spot was nothing to worry about. It never is just "nothing". It should have been investigated right from the start. As far as the yellowing in vision is concerned - cataracts are said to cause this.

Lucky for you that you saw a different optician. At least he got things moving. It is not easy to understand why it varies from hospital to hospital and even from consultant to consultant when treatment should be started. In my case, the first opthalmologist told me, after seeing the scans and the result of the fluorosein angiogram - a small leakage - that I had wet AMD in my left eye, but no appointment date was given for treatment. Three weeks later I was sent to another consultant at the same hospital, and even though I saw on the scan that the macular swelling was still as big as before, this consultant called it dry AMD. Four weeks later this same consultant said "we can start treatment now". He explained to me that NICE stipulates that the VA has to be worse than 20/40 before commencing treatment. It seems that the neovascularisation and the small leakage did not count. The point I am making is that the delay has caused some permanent damage to my macula. Can we really insist on treatment? I do not call myself an optimist or a pessimist but a realist.

I am glad for you that your hospital is great now. After a number of muddles and mishaps, including looking at the wrong eye despite my protests, mine is alright too now. Hope all goes well for you.

[cwc123 in reply to Ayayay80]

I spoke to the manager at my opticians and made them aware of what had happened. I never wanted it to happen to anyone else.

Maybe the NICE regulations are the reason I didn't receive the treatment at first. I am sure my vision is the worse for it. I shall insist on treatment if it happens in my good eye. If both my eyes were like my bad eye I would no longer be working, driving or reading. Unthinkable!!!!

The yellowing was strange and never explained by the optician or the consultant. It no longer exists but when it started it was apparent when looking at a cloudy sky or my cream bedding. It didn't cover the whole vision but was like looking through a yellow filter. Strange.

[Hidden]

It is alway a good to hear hear positive news. My condition is not the same as yours but before my first injection I could not even see the chart! Within hours of the shot I could see and I now maintain 6/19 vision. Not perfection but v v acceptable.

It is the nearest thing to a miracle that I shall ever experience.

[cwc123 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Rennatk. We are very lucky to be able to have these injections. Who knows what the future will bring in terms of new treatments.

[Hidden in reply to cwc123]

For wet AMD at least, not my condition again, stem cells are about to be trialled. They have worked wonders already for those blinded by acid or fire.

[RosMacularSociety Partner]

Dear CWC,

I am pleased to read of your positive progress.

Just to make you aware, we are currently offering free 6 month membership. This is a good way to keep up with current developments. Please ring us if you would like to benefit from this, or join via the following link:

macularsociety.org/6months

Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any help.

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

Kind regards,