Just Found Out I Have Macular Degeneration - Help

by Rhonda
(PA)

I just went to the eye dr. to have my eyes checked and found out I have macular degeneration. I had not been to one for about 7 years.

My dad had macular degeneration and went blind. He has been dead about 5 years and he did have high blood pressure.

I am 64 years old and female, have dark eyes and low blood pressure and in good health so I can't believe I have this. I am scared I will lose my sight like my dad.

The eye dr. said it is dry macular degeneration and will monitor it every 6 months. I am to check the Amsler Grid and keep watch for eye changes.

I take vitamins and will take more of the eye ones. According to the eye dr. she said if I monitor my eyes and I see changes they will get me into the retina specialist right away.

I asked if I would lose my sight and she said that if it turns to wet macular degeneration that with the shots and new treatments they will be able to keep my sight with the shots and new treatments Is this true?

I am afraid. I don't believe this and am just scared. I read with both eyes affected it goes quicker. Right now my eyes are 20/25 and 20/35 with glasses. Right eye seems to be worse. I don't need glasses to read yet.

I just found this site and how someone can give me some good info.

Thank you.

Just found out I have Macular Degeneration

by Gary Thomas
(Cuba MO)

Last November I found out that I am in the very first stage of macular degeneration.My eye doctor said he can see the beginning of it so I started taking AREDS vitamins and another Lutein supplement.

I use the grid once or twice a week just to check and see if it is getting worse. So far it doesn't look like it has. When I look at the grid my left eye shows the lines straight but my right eye shows a little wiggle.

My dad is 89 years old and when he was about 85 or 86 he said his vision was getting blurry and some times when he looked at words or signs he wouldn't see the first letter and would have to move his head around to see it all.

We took him to the eye doctor and he said dad had age related macular degeneration (AMD). The line on the grid to him are bent in every direction,he is on the same pills that I am taking but can't tell that it helps much but maybe it is not letting it get worse.

I tried to find out as much as I could about this eye problem because until dad had it I never heard of it before so I was surprised.

I am so happy I found this site,it has explained AMD and things to look out for and how I can try and slow the progression of it. I find hints that I can use and how to protect myself from making it worse.

If only I knew the preventions you can take and how you should protect your eyes, maybe I could have slowed mine down even more. I try to alert every one to this and tell them about this site.

Thanks so much for all the great information.

Just Learned - New Diagnosis of Dry Macular Degeneration

by Brenda
(CA)

I went in for my yearly eye exam on October 11, 2011 and found out I have the beginning of dry macular degeneration. I have been busy searching the internet for diet information, eye drops to use, etc. that will help me with this.

It is in my right eye which has a cataract plus a shingles scar on the cornea. My daughter fears I'm going to end up totally blind in that eye.

REPLY

Hi Brenda,

I’m sorry to hear that your right eye has so many problems. Each one of them resulting in different vision problems. In regards to just the dry macular degeneration, this retinal disease does not end in blindness, but rather the loss of one’s straight ahead or central vision. Colors can appear faded or dim and details may look blurry rather than crisp and clear. Learn more about other symptoms here:

Macular Degeneration Symptoms

A macular degeneration diet will include foods high in lutein and other antioxidants. Not only is it important to include healthy foods, but eliminating foods that are pro-inflammatory is important as well. Many foods that are processed - chips, crackers, cookies, frozen meals, etc - include fats that hare harmful rather than helpful. Learn more about the role of inflammation here:

Inflammation and Macular Degeneration

Leslie Degner, RN, BSN