Macular Degeneration Shocker

by Nola
(Dry Prong, Louisiana)

For the last couple of years my eye doctor told me that I had drusen which was the beginning of macular degeneration.

He told me to take ICaps vitamins because they would help prevent MD.


I had cataract surgery about a year ago. Three months ago I woke up one morning and when I looked through my right eye all the faces of the people on television looked like caricatures - all misshapen. I thought maybe the implanted lens had moved.

I called the doctor's office they told me to come in immediately. They did several tests with different machines and one of them required dye in my veins. I was so shocked when they told me I had wet macular degeneration.


They gave me an injection in the right eye of Avastin, which is a cancer drug used now for MD.

After the tests the doctor told me the left eye was worse than the right. I couldn't understand why the vision in the left seemed OK.


I have had 2 injections of Avastin in the left and get another one at the end of October.

In the mornings when I first get up I will have big black spots for a few minutes and then it goes away. Every once in a while when I blink I will have one in my left eye that goes away.

It seems that I need more light to see any thing and the vision is a little blurry in both eyes.

I had no pain after the first injection in my right eye. But after each one in the left I have horrible pain. The doctor said he had not heard anyone else tell him that. All I can do after an injection in the left eye is just lay on the bed with both eyes closed. It hurts really bad to blink. He gave me some numbing drops but they only last a few minutes.

I am hoping this 3rd injection in the left eye will solve the problem and I don't have to have any more in a long time.

I know I will have check ups very often.

The Avastin is supposed to keep the MD from progressing further but I know a friend whose husband had the injections and they didn't work for him.

I am 65 years old and play the piano for my small church. I am hoping this won't stop me from playing because our small church has no one else that can play and I enjoy it so much.

I don't know what is going to happen in the future but I am putting this in God's hands and try to accept whatever He has for my future with this disease.