Care
Focusing on the Can, Not the Can’t – Accepting the Limits of Macular Degeneration
“When you are ready, the teacher will come.” I first heard that almost 50 years ago from a former college professor. It has sneaked into my consciousness at irregular intervals ever since. A reminder This morning it poured into my inbox. “Know your limits,” the universe seemed to say. First Simone Biles to drop out…
Read MoreThe Best Way to Help Your Visually Impaired Loved One
“How can I help?” “Please let me know if you need anything.” “What do you need from me?” These are all very well-intentioned questions that we have each asked at one time or another. When offering help doesn’t work However, rarely do these offers actually work. Think about it. How many times have you offered…
Read MoreImprove vision with these items
Sight is a precious gift that enables a person to enjoy the world in a unique way. Yet many people are born with complete or partial vision loss, while others’ vision slowly dissipates over time. Macular conditions include age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which leads to a loss of both central vision and the ability to…
Read MoreLiving with Low Vision – Using the MagniLink S at Work
When Rebecca Dorton had trouble at work, she never expected to find the solution in her husband’s tackle box, but that’s exactly what happened one night in East Tennessee. After earning a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a Legal Studies minor, Rebecca was hired by the Sullivan County Circuit Court Clerks in East Tennessee. Familiar…
Read MoreGenetics, Epigenetics, and Cures for Macular Degeneration
I always knew that age-related macular degeneration is a multi-gene phenomenon, but this is ridiculous! A study published in Scientific Reports suggested there are up to 106 genes that could contribute to the development of AMD. 106! Really?!? And a minimum of 31 of those genes are also associated with other problems. An example of…
Read MoreThings To Remember if You Have Macular Degeneration
I remember the day after my first visit to a retinal specialist. He confirmed I had wet AMD in one eye and dry AMD in the other. This RS guy said to see the nurse to set up appointments for injections in my wet AMD eye! Did he just say he was going to stick…
Read MoreMIGS: A New Option for Patients with Glaucoma
It is estimated that over 3 million Americans over the age 40 have glaucoma, and it is said that half the people living with this disease are unaware they have it. Glaucoma is also the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. MIGS: A New Option for Patients with Glaucoma Minimally invasive glaucoma surgical procedures (MIGS)…
Read MoreGrocery Shopping Tips for Home Delivery
Getting to and from the grocery store, navigating the aisles of superstores with dairy products on one end and fresh produce on the other, along with finding and selecting your favorite cereal, salad dressing, or coffee creamer can be overwhelming for sighted people let alone those with vision problems. Fortunately, there are now many options…
Read MoreChange Is Hard
Shortly after being diagnosed with macular degeneration, the reality sets in that the way we have done things for years will have to change, possibly in the near future. How can I do ___? With loss of sight, how will you cook and clean? What if you can no longer drive, how will you get…
Read MoreWhy Are Visits to the Eye Doctor Important?
I recently wrote an article about a conversation I had with a group of my friends. It was surprising to me to hear that they don’t see an optometrist annually. This was a foreign concept to me, as I visit some form of an eye doctor twice a year at a minimum. In that article,…
Read MoreDoctor, How Bad Is It Going To Get?
Hey Doctor so-and-so, “Am I going to go blind?” “Do I qualify for any clinical trials?” “What does my future hold?” These are all questions I’ve recently asked my RS doctor. Let me share his response with you. Q&A Am I going to go blind? My RS said, “No! Although you may lose some of your central…
Read MoreUnderstanding the Expenses of Macular Degeneration
I was reminded the other day of some of the additional costs of living with macular degeneration. I had been shopping for a battery for my portable lighted magnifier, when I started thinking about all the little, and not so little, extra costs of this sight stealing condition. Macular degeneration expenses Not only do we…
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