Macular Degeneration

[Marcia K]

Hello. I'd like some advice. My mother is 82 and she told me that she has wet macular degeneration which can cause rapid severe loss of sight. Today I called a Retina Specialist and made an appointment for her because her Ophthalmologist said that he didn't want to see her for a year. When she called for her records to be faxed to the specialist, the Ophthalmologist's nurse told her that she does not have wet macular degeneration. My Mom asked her to call me to explain because I was concerned about it. The nurse said that my Mom's vision is 20/20 and everything looked really good, that's why the Dr. doesn't want to see her for a year. She said they did quite a few tests during the visit. She isn't sure where my Mom thought she had wet macular degeneration, it's possible that the Dr. said it could develop into that. (She does have age-related macular degeneration). I canceled the appointment with the retina specialist but now I'm wondering if we should get a second opinion anyway. My maternal grandmother lost her sight due to glaucoma and the thought of the same thing happening to my mom makes my stomach churn. She runs circles around people half her age and I can't imagine her losing her eyesight. The Ophthalmologist gave her a chart to look at every day and if she sees a change when she looks at it she is to call them right away. What would you do?

[tex]

Hi Marcia,

That chart plan sounds like a good idea. I was diagnosed with drusen (which is associated with macular degeneration) when I was about 40. I'm 76 now and I still don't need to wear glasses unless I'm reading (I use cheap reading glasses). But that was the case when I was 40. My drusen are dry and have increased in number over the decades, but they haven't changed significantly otherwise.

I saw a retina specialist a couple of years ago when I was considering cataract surgery (which I declined), but he just wanted to have an appointment every 6 months because he was writing a book and I seemed to be an interesting case. I couldn't see much point in that so I haven't seen him since. I don't consider dry drusen to be much of a threat. It sounds as though her opthalmologist is doing a good job.

Tex

[starfire]

I'm sure he warned her that it could become wet macular degeneration. He would have been remiss not to do so. I have had dry macular degeneration for a long time (many years) but there has been very little change in the condition over the years. It may never become the wet version but if it does she needs to contact him (or someone else) quickly. Did they give her a grid to look at every day called an Amsler grid? If she starts seeing new distortion in the grid or if what she knows is a straight line starts looking curved then she should call right away. I hope this helps.

[Marcia K]

Thanks Tex & Starfire (I'm sorry I don't know your name). Your replies make me feel so much better. I believe it is the Amsler grid that she said the Ophthalmologist gave to her. I told my siblings that we all must be asking her if she is looking at it every day. She stays young because she ages us!

[DonPapotti]

I recomend use lens blueblocker. Flux in pc, and app twilight for cellphone..are free.
Blue light causes degeneration macular,ros,etc,etc.

[Marcia K]

Thanks, Don.