At 93 my mother only has peripheral sight in her left eye, no disease in right eye.

[Holiday76]

At 93 my mother only has peripheral sight in her left eye, a disease free right eye. She is finding it very frustrating when reading with bifocal lens for the right eye and clear lens for left. States things not clear though prescription is correct. Wonder if the brain at 93 struggles to compensate. Does anybody have any experience or ideas about this problem.

[Beldie]

I sympathise with your mother's frustration. At 81 I have the same condition but the other way round; however, I do not use a clear lens in the affected eye but whatever prescription the optician had decided was required, and find I read very well, though often I find myself closing the affected eye. Would your mother attempt that, do you think? Or use an eye patch? I wonder whether the clear lens was the optician's idea? I do not use my bifocals for any extended reading, but have a pair of prescribed specs for reading and close work only, because bifocals are a nuisance. That apart, the most important thing for me is using the best light possible and the Macular Society have a leaflet about this and advice about magnifiers which, as I understand it, do need to be suited to an individual's own needs. I found help from a local group for the partially sighted who came to my house and gave good advice and lent a portable lamp of the correct sort. Do you think your area might have some such facility, perhaps through social services?

Best wishes to you and your mother,

Beldie

[Holiday76 in reply to Beldie]

Thank you so much for your extensive answer, we have taken your advice and she has a light over her reading table now, and as soon as poss I will be on to the GP for a referral to the low vision clinic. We are hoping that the adjustment to her lens will help, but if not separate reading glasses Are the next move. Thank you again

[jayne1234 Macular Society]

Hello, If you call The Macular Society's Helpline on 0300 3030 111 (9am -5pm) we will be able to discuss lighting and low vision with you, as well as telling you about local groups and support which we offer. Your mother's GP should be able to refer her to the local Low Vision Clinic who can measure her visual acuity acurately and provide her with the correct magnification and spectacles.

With Best wishes

Jayne

Helpline

[Holiday76 in reply to jayne1234]

Thank you very much your advice, which I will be following though I have to do one step at a tome. Thank you

[AlinaL]

Hi,

I was only wearing 'normal' glasses when I got wet MD in my right eye, not bi-focals, but I did find it difficult to read for any length of time and it was giving me a real headache.

I wore an eye patch for a month and it helped but I found it was a nuisance with my hair etc. In the end I found out an old pair of glasses that had my latest prescription lenses (I'd changed to new frames) and my optician frosted out the right lenses.

This was a great solution. I could see well with my left eye, didn't have to mess about with an eye patch and I was very surprised how quickly my brain adjusted. My headaches stopped and my left eye became more dominant. It's worth a try if your mum has an old pair of glasses to experiment with.

Regards

Alina

[Holiday76 in reply to AlinaL]

Hi thank you so much for your help, sorry I have been so long acknowledging your answer there was some trouble with the site. The story so far is I have taken her back to the opticians and they are readjusting her lens. She has also tried your idea of a patch but this did not make any difference, the optician felt this was because her eye damage is very extensive. Thank you again .