Left eye

[zoefosch]

Today I went to optician to get new reading glasses and as she was examining my eyes I realised that my left eye has AMD, I couldn't see even the largest letters, the whole box of letter was broken and letters were curvy. I had heard about this eye disease as my mother has it but didn't think I will get it.

Now I have a big problem, have promised to take care of a needy person for 6 months from next week and have to travel to USA, I am in Europe now, what can I do? can I wait until come back to Europe to start treatment? will it become worse if I don't do anything now? please guide me. thanks

[kevinaki]

Your optician should have urged you to see an ophthalmologist ASAP !

You may have had AMD for a while since you could not read the largest letters on the eye chart today.

In 6 months, without treatment, you will lose the central vision in that eye.

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[Eyeproblems]

Your optician should have set in motion a fast track appointment at an eye clinic as wet AMD needs treatment and you really do not want to leave it another six months as hopefully treatment with injections would help you .

Hope this helps. Best wishes.

[MikeG1944]

Yes book an appointment today; you should be seen within a week and have the first injection a few days after that. The NHS is good here and pays for the treatment; in USA each injection of eylea costs around $1000 I am told.

[kyrp]

Is yr AMD wet or dry ?Did actually the optivian told you that ?..its the first thing you need to find out and an urgent referral to an ophthalmologist to have more test ... if it's Wet AMD u shouldn t delay at all treatment ...for a dry AMD not much they can offer ..

[springcross]

Hi zoefosch. Please do not even think about waiting until you return to seek treatment. I was diagnosed with wet AMD last June because of what I thought was just a case of needing updated glasses so didn't rush to see the optician. As a result, my macula had become damaged. I am having treatment now but have been told that I will never regain all of my central vision because I had the condition too long before seeking help. You must put yourself first with this, your eyesight is too precious not to. Good luck. x

[No2020]

Don’t delay! I had annual eye checks. Diagnosed with dry AMD. Used the Amsler grid between. Discovered wavy lines with left eye one day. As it was only 2 months til my next eyecheck I waited to talk to the doctor then. She made an appointment with the Retina specialist the next day, and he started injections. Some damage was already done, couldn’t reverse it, but stabilized .

Right eye turned into wet AMD a year later... got an injection a few days after I noticed it. No damage, good vision.

Lesson:

Use the Amsler grid regularly. Don’t delay when lines get wavy.

You should have no problem finding a Retina Clinic wherever you are in the US

If you are staying 6 months you have probably made arrangements for health insurance coverage of some kind.

You can’t put a price on your vision!

[kevinaki]

Exactly where in the U.S. do you plan to be for 6 months?

[Catseyes235]

I hope you have been referred for treatment which sounds like is needed ASAP. My eye clinic says the sooner the treatment the better the outcome. Explain your situation to the opthalmologists and to your links in th US and ask what treatment you can get in US but the truth is you must weigh up how effective you can be to a needy person if you are losing your sight?? Good luck!

[Rosalyn-helpline Partner]

Dear zoefosch,

Dry AMD 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 eye health in addition to general 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 also potentially have a positive impact on eye health as well as general health. It is also important to consider protecting the eyes from the harmful effects of the sun. Optometrists do not generally refer individuals to an ophthalmologist for the dry type.

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 AMD, then the NICE guidelines indicate that they must do a fast track referral on the day of the appointment, via fax or email, straight through to the eye clinic, so that the individual can be seen and treated by 2 weeks.

This is a link to our patient information:

macularsociety.org/resources

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

Alternately, you can contact us via:

[e-mail]

Kind regards,