Macular Degeneration

Wow I just noticed this exact phenomenon in my vision but ignored it. I'm in my mid 40s. Now I'm worried.

YOU'RE OLD.

macular degeneration tends to be genetic. and occurs mostly in males. do any of your relatives have the problem? macular degeneration runs in the maternal side of my family. so I have to go to the doctor at least every year to make certain i'm not developing the condition. and there is treatment available if you do have it OP

OP - How old are you? If your over 50 and this happens probably just getting elderly assuming you get your eyes examined regularly. If your early 30s or less then, I guess you just have to wait until your appt. And lastly if it doesn't run in your family it is likely something else. And like R3 said there are treatments for the various conditions. And you don't just your eyes checked for glasses they also check for other things.

My mother has it. She now only has very rudimentary peripheral vision. Cannot see anything in front of her at all. She is in her 80s and it took years to get to that level.

However, she still insists on living independently and alone. Both my brother and I have asked if she wants to come and live nearer or with on of us but she enjoys her independence and wants to stay near her friends.

We are in the U.K. and there is still decent support for her through the NHS, thankfully.

Just smoke copious amounts of pot, silly!

Oh, wait -- that 's glaucoma.

I'm in my early 60s. Have never worn glasses ever; a year or two ago I picked up some 1.0 readers just for small print. I live alone, own my own home and value my independence above all else. I am willing to undergo any kind of treatment I have do as long as it preserves even a fraction of my vision. And if this is something that progresses gradually over the next 20 or 30 years I'm OK with it. But I can't even entertain the idea that it might progress faster and that I might actually lose my vision. Other than Alzheimers that is the worst possible scenario I can imagine.

I feel like an idiot, but I just can't shake this profound panic. Ironically enough, I have always been a big reader and my house is stuffed with books and DVDs. I feel like Burgess Meredith in the Twilight Zone, with all those books and time enough at last to read them, only he CAN'T SEE!

Better stock up on white canes, 0P.

My father had the worst form of MD, the "wet" kind. He hated it.

He said he did not being old (his MD developed in his mid-70s) but that he hated going blind. "Being nearly blind is fir the birds!", he said often. He lived it for about 10 years.

Me and my brothers? -- we all take the pills containing lutein and zeaxanthin. We don't want that shit!

My mother has macular degeneration. It comes in dry and wet varieties. One eye is worse than the other but she has both types. Over the years, I've had to take her to laser eye surgery so that the blood vessel bleeding can be stopped. It doesn't cure the bad type of macular but it stops it from getting worse.

She can't see people's faces if she looks at them head-on (eg. a black dot is in front of everyone's face) but if she turns her head she has some peripheral vision. That's a good day. Sometimes a veil-like film will cover her good eye and she can barely see at all (eg. floaters). My mother takes a 2 vitamins a day high in lutein. Her condition doesn't bode well for me in the future because it's genetic and I've just been told at my last eye doctor appointment that I have an extra membrane in my eye. This is a warning of possible vision loss in the future. Isn't growing old, wonderful?

On Tuesday, have your doctor check for macular degeneration. You could have floaters. Another possibility is a detached retina which has to be corrected quickly. Keep a close eye on your symptoms (write them down and the frequency if you have to) so you can be very specific when describing them to your doctor. Good luck OP.

Why are you assuming it's macular degeneration? I had the same wavy line problem and it turned out to be tears in the retina that was fixed with laser treatment.

OP, lay off the booze and see if that helps.

OP, it doesn't sound like it's something you can diagnose yourself. Just wait until you see the doctor on Tuesday. It's a treatable condition (I won't expand on the treatment, since I think it would be premature).

Have your eyes checked. Could be detached retina. Fixable.

My mom has the wet kind in one eye, but the other eye is perfectly fine.

Go and see a good retinologist, OP

I see wavy lines in one eye and it's caused by an epiretinal membrane. So don't panic until you know what's going on.

How old are you?

It is not lines in your eyes, dummy. It is when you devrlope a black spot in your vision. You can see on the sides but not in the middle. It gets worse and worse as time goes on . Did your parents have it? My mother had it and siblings have it.

I have macular degeneration and have for over 10 years. I'm lucky in that, since clearly I have to have it, I have the dry kind that progresses slowly. I hadn't had any change in my vision for 10 years but in the last couple of years I have noticed wavy lines and a film over my eyes. I am doing very well though and seem to be in no immediate danger of losing my vision. *knock wood*

The other thing is that you cannot diagnose this yourself. Stop freaking out about it. It is what it is. You either have macular degeneration or you don't. Having a meltdown will not change the outcome. Even if you do have MD, you may never lose your vision. Talk to your doc and make sure you see a Retinologist. In the meantime, vitamins made especially for eyes with lutein.

You are letting this take over your brain. Find something fun to do instead.

Good luck

I have had lines and floaters since I was a teen, they come and go. It does make me nervous but usually dissipates quickly.

MS sometimes fucks with your eyes.

Thanks for the support and intelligent comments; it is VERY helpful. I am seeing a retina/vitreous specialist at one of the primo practices in my city, who also just happens to be the son of my parents' very good friends, so I know I'll get an excellent exam and treatment.

Why, WHY is it so easy to assume the worst??!! I have never had a panic attack in my life, but last night I came mighty close. You all have done your good deed for the week with the helpful info. THANK YOU so much -

I was misdiagnosed with macular degeneration 11 years ago-I've never been so frightened. I was only 42 at the time and a friend insisted that my GP refer me to his apparently curmudgeon-like opthomologist (sp?) who after examining my eyes, almost growled at me and in about 30 seconds flat told me, "who the hell told you had macular degeneration"?! Maybe when you'r in your 80's but NOT now. I wanted to kiss him.

What were your symptoms, R21, and what did it turn out to be? Just curious - you don't have to share if you don't want to. Thanks -

Hi OP. That's just it-I had no symptoms-I'd simply gone for a check up and a new prescription for contact lens. Anyway, my optometrist was always introducing the latest technology into his office, and the latest was some machine that puffed air into your eye while photo-imaging and from that they got a scan of the entire eyeball, front and back. What he misdiagnosed as the start of macular degeneration was actually optic scar tissue, I think they are called drussin, which I'd had since I was 9 years old and my Saint Bernard accidentally stepped on my eye while we were playing on the stairs-my own fault obviously, and it initially cause the astigmatism in my right eye. Anyway, that's all it was, this glorified optic scar tissue. So try to get a few opinions and TRY not to scare yourself, though I'm in no position to lecture at the time I was terrified.

OP, the worst thing you've done is go to an anonymous interwebs forum and solicit opinions from hairstylists who stayed at the Holiday Inn last night. Stupid OP.

[R 24] It was actually a Holiday Inn Express and I am at the top of my game today because of it.

My mother has the dry kind and is seeing a very good Retinal specialist in NY. He said there is a miracle cure for when and if it ever turns into the "wet form" get yourself to a good Dr. don't worry yourself needlessly. My mothers Dr. said I should wear good sunglasses outdoors since I have an inherited tendency to macular degeneration.

OP, this reminds me of central serous retinopathy (CSR). At some point in time I had a lot of stress and suddenly saw straight lines in a distorted way, due to leakage in the eye. CSR often occurs in people with type-A personality and with a high cortisol level. Caffeine and smoking worsen the condition. Fortunately, in many cases, symptoms go away without treatment over a couple of months.

Well, I don't have it; just some minute macular changes, as well as very early cataract formation that he says are consistent with my age. And I STILL don't need glasses! Just take some special eye vitamins and see you next year!

The doctor was a peach; he told me I would be driving my car when I'm 90. It doesn't pay to be a panicky drama queen, but I just can't help it!

Sounds like a typical interloping frau-cunt OP.

She KNOWS this isn't what we're here for, but she MUST tell us about her fucking fears.

Fuck off. We hope you go blind in a pencil sharpening accident.

Very pleased for you, OP.

When you posted your symptoms I hesitated to say that it just sounded like regular aging as I'm no doctor, then R27 confirmed what I've heard from a real doctor.

Terrible thing to have that hanging over you all week, glad it's over.

And ignore the asshole at 29.

Just a quick comment before I sign off...isn't it amazing that someone like R29, who has no idea who I am or what I'm about, feels the need to swoop in with a ridiculous comment like that? I have been here at DL a LONG time, and there are hundreds of threads I just simply scroll past over skip because I have no interest in them. No harm, no foul. I never expected this to be a 600 reply thread, and I am truly grateful for some of the intelligent and supportive responses I got - I happen to think this IS one of the reasons why people come here. But people who feel compelled to swoop in and sprinkle a little hateful piss around are just...sad.

I do not plan to be sharpening pencils any time soon. And to everyone else, THANK YOU.

Bump

OP, I'm sure you'll be fine. Don't worry, hun.

However, it might be nice to dial back your queeney drama post and language....

Why worry? If you have it, it's already been decided.

By any chance, are you diabetic and don't yet know it? Go to an ophthamologist, not just an optician.

Eat your vegetables!! Many studies show mac degeneration does much better in people who eat more green vegetables.

One preventive treatment is to take a special type of multivitamin. These vitamins are just replacements for eating vegetables--in fact, those who ate more vegetables did better.

Queue the anti-vegetarian trolls.