My Macular Degeneration Adventure

by Harry Horacek
(Manchester, NJ)

It all started on 11/7/2002 when a routine eye exam showed the early signs of macular degeneration. The eye doctor said not to be too concerned yet as it would progress slowly.

Two years later I started to see indications of macular degeneration in the form of straight lines being wavy.

The condition remained relatively unchanged until 3/5/2007 when Wavy lines became more prevalent. The Doctor saw evidence of AMD in left eye.

He wanted me to continue with lutein pills and veggies. Also stop smoking and use UV sunglasses. Progress should be very slow if I control risk factors.

Eyesight still unaffected by the macular degeneration but cataracts in left eye are growing and there is some impact on vision.

Dr. said my vision was still 20/20 with glasses.

In 2009 My eye doctor referred me to a retina specialist who diagnosed me with dry macular degeneration in the left eye and wet macular degeneration in my right eye.

He began a series of injections of Avastin in my right eye. After several months of this treatment the bleeding in the back of the eye stopped. There has been no bleeding in the back of the eye for over a year.

At 73 years old, I consider myself lucky so far.

Harry Horacek
10/20/2011