Change in diagnosis

[Candypen75]

I went to a very 'up to date' optician with a view to changing my glasses, yet again. It was the suggestion of the Doctor at the hospital reviewing my Macular Degeneration. The opticians advanced equipment showed that I had a fast growing cateract on my retina, so my sight had deteriorated over months due to this, not the Macular degeneration which is still apparent. I'm going to be booked in for a cateract operation. I'm so glad I went to see him as I was appalled at the speed at which my sight was deteriorating.

[Rosalyn-helpline Partner]

Dear Candypen75,

Which type of macular degeneration have you been diagnosed with?

It is important that it is a retinal specialist who weights up the risks and benefits of a cataract operation on your behalf.

I am copying a link to our leaflet on cataracts which you could use as a discussion point with your ophthalmologist as needed;

macularsociety.org/sites/de...

Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any further help. The Macular Society helpline is open 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday on 0300 3030 111.

Alternately, you can contact us via:

[e-mail]

Kind regards,

[Candypen75 in reply to Rosalyn-helpline]

Thankyou for your reply. I have dry MD and had extensive scans by the optometrist who owns the Medical eye centre. He is a specialist in MD at Bexhill hospital and showed me evidence of his conclusions, the small amounts of drusen and the large cateract which is had grown rapidly over months.

I appreciate your concern, for personal reasons. My father, who had one good eye, was persuaded by an optometrist to have a cateract removed. Unfortunately he got an infection in the eye, resulting in blindness, so I am going to consider very carefully.

[Ayayay80 in reply to Candypen75]

Hi Canddypen75

I am so sorry and fully understand your concern after what has happened to your father. But if your cataract is growing so fast then, without intervention, you will lose your sight in that eye soon anyway. So what is the choice? At least, with the removal of the cataract you have a chance. I am sure your consultant will weigh up the the pros and cons and advise you. Make sure you tell them of your father's bad experience and that they are aware of anything else that is going on in your eye. They are so busy and sometimes need to be reminded. Ask for the information you give them to be flagged. The infection was unfortunate and should not have happened, though occasionally they do.

Hope all goes well for you.

[Candypen75 in reply to Ayayay80]

Thankyou for your reply. Yes I've realised that I need to gave the cateract removed. My father should have had antibiotics as he was very old and it was his only good eye, so not a good idea.

[Hidden]

I am puzzled that the doc reviewing your AMD condition did not advise you of the cataract in the first instance.

[Candypen75 in reply to Hidden]

I was seen at one high street opticians in April and again in September as I wasn't happy with how I felt about my vision. Early cateracts were mentioned in passing. . I was referred to hospital who said they thought a mole on the retina was responsible for my deteriorating vision. The worrying thing was how quickly it seemed to be happening in my left eye which had gone from 6/6 last year to 6/18 in early November. I chose to go to a local optometrist who is very experienced and has advanced scans etc. My left eye has deteriorated much further, and he showed me the large shadow on the scan which he said was a fast growing cateract which can effect the vision in months. Yes it was quite a surprise.