macular degeneration, macular, diagnosis driving – My Macular Degeneration Journey/Journal

Daydreams About Driving – Part 1

I gave up driving over five years ago, but that does not mean I don’t miss it. In the past few days I have been daydreaming about going to visit a friend on a small Caribbean island. When I inquired about how I could get around when she is working, she said I could rent a golf cart. Could I actually drive a golf cart around the island?

Pitiful to say, but I got all excited with the idea of being independently mobile. I got almost giddy with thoughts of driving myself to the store and to the beach. How fast can a golf cart possibly go? I certainly could drive a golf cart!

The next thought was wondering if I had given up driving too soon. Maybe I could have gotten another year behind the wheel.

Although dry age-related macular degeneration is not supposed to act this way, it seemed as if I lost my second eye overnight. Would I have decided to give up driving so quickly if my vision loss had been more gradual? When and how do we know to stop driving?

I found an article from Caring Home entitled Seniors and Driving : A Guide. The statistics quoted in the article are a few years old (2015) and they are scary. In 2015, 14 million Americans were in an auto accident caused by an elderly driver and 19 elderly drivers were dying in an accident every day. This does not assume every one of those elderly folks was visually impaired but certainly some were.

We slightly older folks all have good ideas of what factors make it harder for us to drive. In addition to our vision loss there are things like chronic health problems, hearing problems, and drug effects and drug interactions that can limit our ability to drive safely.

But since this is a blog on AMD, let me focus on vision for just a second. The article quotes Elizabeth Dugan, author of The Driving Dilemma, who says 90% of the information that is needed to drive safely comes to us through our eyes.

And what happens when we are not getting that information? How do we know when it is no longer safe to drive?

The article suggests the police and the insurance company may notice before we do. Are you getting traffic tickets when you never had any before? Have those “little” fender benders resulted in a jump in your insurance premiums?

And even if you have not had any fender benders, how about scratches and dings to the car? In the months before my mother and her siblings took my grandfather’s keys, there were multiple “mystery” scrapes and dents on his car that my grandfather always insisted had just appeared out of thin air.

About that time I was a teen with a job but without my own car. I was reluctant to have my grandfather drive me to work and white knuckled it all the way. The man was scary behind the wheel, and I was always grateful to get there alive.

And speaking of reluctance, have you been recently reluctant to do the driving? Quite frankly, have you scared even yourself a few times?

Lastly, the article talks about your tension when you are driving. Do you lean forward and strain to see? Do you feel overly tense and come home exhausted? Does driving seem like a chore?

If these things are happening, it might be time to think about giving up driving. But don’t want to give up driving? There might be a reprieve for a little while. Next, I will review some of the driving rehabilitation services that may be available to you.

Next: Daydreams About Driving – Part 2

I Don’t Miss Driving…

Recently there has been snow to clear in the driveway. My husband will be out there still shoveling when it is just about time to go.

“Here are the keys. Start the car and turn on the defroster.” I jump in the driver’s seat, turn the key and start the engine.

I don’t miss driving…until I do.

I have had this crazy impulse to adjust the seat, throw the car in gear and take off. My muscle memory screams the steps of driving out to me and I long to follow them just like I did for 46 years.

I don’t miss driving …until I do

I know I cannot be on the roads. Every day my vision arranges for me to have a little “surprise”. There are things there I simply did not see. My driving is a very bad idea and…

I don’t miss driving…until I do.

There are some parking lots nearby. They are deserted after hours. Maybe we could go over there some evening and I can “play cars”. But my husband does not think that would be a good idea. I might run into something. I know I should not be behind the wheel. I would be liable. That’s OK…

I don’t miss driving…until I do.

There is a multi-venue music festival next week. The act we want to see is performing ten miles away, ten miles closer to my friend’s home. Coming after me and taking me home would be an extra 40 miles for her. The event has shuttle bus service to try to keep some of the drunks off the road. If I take the shuttle bus I can get there and “only” be about 90 minutes early. But that’s OK because…

I don’t miss driving…until I do.

There is a conference in Center City Philadelphia I am thinking about attending in the fall. I miss the city, any city. While I love small town living, I also yearn for the excitement and variety of city life. I dislike buses but I could get a bus for about $60 round trip. Because of the schedule, I would have to go a day early, leave a day late. That would be about another $400 for the hotel. Did I mention…?

I don’t miss driving…until I do.

Is my life without driving HORRIBLE? In all honesty, no. I have my husband, the van system, friends. If I keep an open and accepting mind and stay creative, I can get to a good percentage of the things I want to get to. It was just the rush of déjà vu when I got behind the wheel. That is what got me. Because, after all…

I don’t miss driving…until I do.

Written February 23rd, 2019

Next: Visually Impaired Old Lady Here!

Mailbox or Child?

I spent most of yesterday afternoon trying to be assertive, not aggressive. Fighting the good fight for my rights. Do you ever just get sick and tired of holding people accountable? Why can’t people do things right? Or at least do what they say they will do?

My CCTV that was in the shop for the second time in a month was supposed to have a 24-hour turnaround time. They received it Monday and sent it Friday…after I called and complained.

Then there was some sort of snafu, and I did not get picked up to come home after exercise class Thursday. There is no after hours, emergency number for the transit company. Our home phone was out-of-order, and for a while, I was up the creek without a paddle.

I was on the phone with the county commissioner Friday. Since I am seen by the transit company as not having any power, I borrowed some power from the county. Should get the job done.

All of which is almost enough hassle to make me just “forget” I am visibly impaired and go back to normal life. Like driving myself for example.

It is ALMOST enough. Why? Because if I were to injure or kill anyone when driving, a lot more people than me would be inconvenienced.

Lin said several of the Facebook group members are driving. She urged people to take a good look at their vision – and I would say also a good look at their consciences – and decide whether they should actually be driving. Lin suggested a little “self-test “ she thought up. [Lin/Linda: details on that below.]

I have a few additions to that. These are some questions I thought of when on the “short bus” and then later walking the puppygirls.

Do you actually know what you are looking at? Because I don’t! Many times I can see there is something there, but I have no clue what it is. Suppose it is a mailbox, but I think it is a child standing on the curb. Do I stop and try to let the mailbox cross? (New old joke: why did the mailbox cross the road? Uh….sorry.) How about the other way around? What if that “mailbox” suddenly darts in front of me? Am I prepared? Probably not. I was thinking “mailbox” not “child.”

Can you see things that are not moving? Several times I have not seen flagmen. They were just standing there in my blind spot. Movement catches my eye, but stillness does not.

This week the creek and the river decided to get “up close and personal” in several neighborhoods. (Just missed a serious flood, and thanks for asking). There are signs all over the place. I have to be right on top of them to read them. It takes me a few seconds to actually decipher what it says. And that is walking! If I were driving the speed limit, I could either come to a dead stop and actually read the sign…or drive into the river.

The moral of that last question was this: the familiar changes. Anticipating what was does not always prepare us for what is.

And those are my questions for those who are driving visually impaired. Me? I will continue to fight the good fight with the (fill in the blank) transit company. Being on the side of the angels is preferable to becoming one.

Written July 27th, 2018

Lin/Linda:  my self-test:

  •  While parked, focus on something in front of you. Close one eye. Is everything still there in your visual field? Close the other eye. All OK?
  • While parked, turn to the left & focus on something in your visual field. Close one eye. All OK? Close the other eye. All OK?
  • While parked, turn to the right & focus on something in your visual field. Close one eye. All OK? Close the other eye. All OK?
  • Can you see the controls on your dash? With lessened contract sensitivity, many of you cannot.
  • Also, can you tell when a traffic light changes colors? My Dad who had geographic atrophy could not. He took my mother with him so she could tell him. However, she developed Alzheimer’s and eventually could not do that. He continued to drive. I was 700 miles away or I would have stopped it. He said,”I only drive locally.” Locally was on roads where there were narrow roads with people walking and on bikes. I KNOW he could not see many of them.
  • Can you see the lines on the road?

Next: Commit!

Home

Not As Cut and Dried

Back for a page sooner than I thought. I wanted to get some of this out there before it got too stale.

I told you I was going to the first vision seminar offered by our local hospital. Yes? Yes. The presenter, Paul Freeman, is the chief of low vision rehabilitation at Allegheny Hospital. That’s Pittsburgh; don’t ya know. Dr. Freeman’s first talk was about driving. Like many things, driving appears not to be quite as cut and dried a topic as I generally thought.

Freeman quotes statistics indicating drivers with intermediate AMD – not advanced like yours ever lovin’ truly – are less likely to have accidents than others including ‘normals’.

The reason was many of people with intermediate AMD are aware of their problems and do four things: compensate, avoid, use caution and self-regulate.

All great strategies for trying to stay safe. However, Freeman also pointed out AMD with its acuity loss as well as decreased contrast sensitivity can cause a decrease in response time. Response time is crucial! For every 1.5 second it takes you to decide there really is something there and hit the brake, at 30 miles an hour you have gone 66 feet. Moving at 65 mph a second and a half’s hesitation will find you 142 feet farther down the road. That is nearly half a football field. Distance traveled increases if the vehicle goes into a skid.

Of course, response time is dependent upon much more than visual acuity. Physical and cognitive states come into the mix. And speaking of cognitive ability, Freeman also quoted a 2006 AREDS study suggesting a possible correlation – not causality – between advanced AMD and cognitive impairment….but what do they know; right??

Freeman reported ways of getting around some of our cognitive deficits are to reduce the burdens on attention and memory. We might have to turn off the radio or decline to take chatty or argumentative family members along for the ride. Cell phones are a definite no but talking GPS can help to take some of the burden of navigating.

Of course it would be easier if the only people we have to worry about while driving were us. Quite bluntly, people do the damndest things. Remember the YouTube video of the woman texting and falling into the fountain? She has sisters…and brothers. People are walking into things and each other and off curbs more than ever.

The takeaway message I got from the driving presentation was this: just as each of us is multifaceted, the decision whether or not to drive should also be multifaceted. How is your contrast sensitivity? How much glare can you handle? How fast is your eye-foot reaction time? How confusing and busy are the places you want to drive? All these and more have to be considered.

Written September 26th, 2017 Continue reading “Not As Cut and Dried”

Behind the Wheel: Part 2

continued from Behind the Wheel: Part 1

In talking about why Yvonne drove after three years, she mentioned independence. Speaking personally, I would love the freedom of driving. The shared ride service here is a pain. The other night I was picked up at the Y and had to ride along to a local restaurant. We waited half an hour for the second passenger to get his ‘stuff’ together and get it on the road.

You have heard me scream plenty about rolling out of bed at the crack of dawn to get 10 miles down the road ‘only’ an hour early.

Unfortunately, shared rides come with many indignities and inconveniences.

Right now I have started ‘jonesing’ for a chocolate milkshake. The drive-in restaurant is only a mile away but it is on the other side of a busy road. I’m thinking that trying to get across that road for a milkshake – even a large! – may not be a good idea. Shared rides and going by foot may not leave a lot of room for spontaneity, either. (Yes, I do have a husband. He is dieting!)

I would love the freedom of driving. After all, this is the woman who renewed her license so she could feel like a big girl! But I don’t drive. The eyes in this head are too far gone.

Yvonne did her homework. Good idea. I did my homework for my bike riding. I know my routes pretty well. Today the Children’s Museum next to the Y had a street fair. The road was blocked. Detour ahead! On my bike, I just dismounted and walked through the fair. In a car, I would have been rerouted to a road I rarely travel. Things happen. The best laid plans of mice and men and all that. You cannot always count on doing what you planned to do.

Yvonne mentioned problems with family members using the car, not transporting her and not doing basic maintenance. Without the family members she is on her own. Maintenance? I used the same garage for nearly 40 years. I think if I asked, they would have come for me. I find it is always good to inquire. You don’t know what people will do for you until you ask.

My license has not been pulled. A few weeks back I went and had it renewed. No one questioned me. No one threw me behind bars. I can legally drive but I don’t.

Many states are not good about making sure people who should not drive don’t. And even if they pull licenses, the roads are full of unlicensed drivers anyway. Driving or not driving is the decision each of us must make for himself.

Would I ever drive? Perhaps. With a very sick husband or a very sick dog or if I had fewer resources, perhaps. I have said it before: I am blessed with resources. What would I do if truly stuck? Dunno. Maybe, but right now, my answer would still have to be no.

But what did the Yvonne do?

written August 6th, 2017

Continue reading “Behind the Wheel: Part 2”

Behind the Wheel: Part 3

continued from Behind the Wheel: Part 2

Did we leave you with a cliffhanger? Silly, of course: Yvonne drove! I am relieved to say she got home without injuring herself or others. The car still has all its pieces…but what did she say about it and will she make a habit of it?

If this were a TV show, we would have gone to commercial break, but since we have no sponsors, there will be no words from our sponsors…just returning to what she said:

Yvonne could not see any gauges – including the speedometer. Her dark glasses caused that problem. The lighting and shadows would change along the route and it was bothersome. She planned a route that took her a bit out of her way but allowed all right turns.

Yvonne felt a bit exhilarated she had accomplished the trip. She admitted she had been scared and said she would not make a habit out of it. Many places she has to go are in congested areas and she does not want to drive there.

So successful experiment for our reader. She tried it and I will not. I see waaay too many problems with it. What is the difference? And more importantly, should you try it yourself??????

I have no idea of how much vision loss Yvonne has. I know my loss pretty much precludes driving. But if no one ever said not to drive, how do we make that decision? [Lin/Linda: Yvonne lives in Alabama where they never check a driver’s vision. Also, her doctor never tells patients NOT to drive.]

I found a resource at AAA. That is the American Automobile Association. They have a special website SeniorDriving.aaa.com.  AAA suggests we try the informal driving self-assessment tool 65 Plus to start. If the informal assessment suggests we have problems, a professional driving skills evaluation can be conducted. This can be done at a driving examination site for your state DMV or by a trained driving instructor. AAA also suggests you might want to spend some time with an occupational therapist driving rehabilitation specialist.

Some of these services can be pricey. The OT evaluation may be between $200 and $400 according to AAA. If you need lessons, it may be $100 an hour. Rather doubt any of this is reimbursable by insurance but you can try.

When I tried to find the website for 65 Plus I came upon a number of things that look kind of cool. The self assessment is 15 questions. Also offered are videos with tips for dealing with physical changes that come with age and a site that will tell you how your medications may affect your driving.

Other resources are offered through AARP, American Association of Retired People. The AARP website page Driver Safety suggested there is a driver’s program only 12 miles away from me. Amazing.

My research also suggested some states do driver’s training for ‘mature’ drivers. Check in your state for information.

So, going back to my original statement. Specifically, I am supposed to be the only bad influence on this website.

Please, please, please do not try to drive just because one reader had a successful jaunt. Think you might be able to drive? Have your hunch tested by a professional.

Been told you should not drive? For your sake, my sake and everyone else’s sake, listen, for crying out loud! You don’t want to ruin lives.

And if you are being pigheaded and driving in Pennsylvania? Tell us where you are. I want to stay far, far away.

written August 6th, 2017

Continue reading “Behind the Wheel: Part 3”

Behind the Wheel: Part 1

TGIF! Happy Friday! In real time it is the beginning of August, 2017. As usual, Lin and I have been pleading for ‘audience participation’ in the website and we actually got some! One of our readers who is also a member of our Facebook group has been sharing some of her experiences with Lin. Yvonne submitted a comment on one of the recent website pages.

Now a little background on how things work with comments. As I said when we started, Lin and I retain the right to refuse anything we do not think is appropriate. Advertisements are a no no. Anything too private or salacious may have us twittering over it but it does not get to the website???. Also, I reserve the right to remain the only bad influence for the site!

That said, Lin got Yvonne’s comment & did not publish it but asked her if we could share parts of what she wrote. She gave her go-ahead.

The topic? Driving with vision loss.

Why just pieces? First reason is this: it scared the bejesus out of us. Second reason: Yvonne outlined how she was going to try driving and we do not want any of you getting any ideas! We will not be responsible.

Yvonne said she was getting behind the wheel for the first time in three years. Oy vay. I would be afraid to get behind the wheel after a year and a half. I have asked my husband to let me drive in a huge empty parking lot and he has refused. He’s afraid of me behind the wheel, too.

I know riding my bike at 7 or 8 miles an hour there are some things I don’t see until I am right on top of them. At 4 times that speed I would be running right into them. Also, coming back from kayaking the other day my friend stopped for an accident. The cop was directing traffic but I could not see his hand signals. What would I have done if I were driving? Gotten out of the car and asked him what he wanted me to do?!?! Don’t think so.

Yvonne said she is not able to see the dials and gauges. Not sure what kinds of gear display her car has but I know I used to have one with the gears on the dash. Putting a car in drive instead of park or reverse instead of drive could be the last mistake I ever make….or ever want to make.

And even if a driver believes he is happily in control at 20 miles an hour in a 35 mph zone, what about the person driving behind him? Could he guarantee he is not going to pass on a double yellow and have a head-on collision? Or how about when he starts blinking his lights, honking his horn and screaming at you? Could someone even hope to maintain composure?

Another point: Yvonne was driving in a neighborhood. While I know kids don’t play outside as much as we did, some still do. Kids are unpredictable and do not follow the rules. Kill or maim a child? Kill me now because I am not sure I could live with that.

So those are my initial thoughts on that. Why did she want to drive? What happened? Tune in next page!

written August 5th, 2017

Continue reading “Behind the Wheel: Part 1”

Someone I Am Not

Passing. Those of you who are into sociology or history know what that is. Wikipedia defines it as the ability of a person to be considered part of an identity group other than their own. Racially mixed slaves could sometimes pass as white when they came north. Over the years many gays have passed as straights. The term used there is generally ‘in the closet’.

I can still pass as a fully sighted person quite well. Yesterday I was at the doctor for my shoulder. Dr. Sue was right, rotator cuff tendinitis.

When I told the real doctor there were some things I could not see because of my vision loss, the doctor told me she never would have known. I passed well.

Today I went to have my driver’s license photo taken. I had everything ready. I sat there and listened to every question the people before me were seeing on the screen. I had my answers down cold! Yes, I am an American citizen! Yes, that is my date of birth. I looked at the yellow blob the photographer said was a smiley face and smiled for the camera. I passed as a person with acceptable vision.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I am NOT driving. Probably could. Slowly on familiar roads I could (no matter what my husband says!) I play this game in which I watch for on-coming traffic when I am in the van. 98% of the time I am right as to how many cars are approaching. It is that 2% that keeps me from getting behind the wheel.

When I told a teacher from school (you run into people you know at the darndest places!) what I had just done, he said it made sense to him to renew my license. Better safe than sorry. He thought in an emergency I could still drive. Yep, but that was not my main reason for renewing my license.

I renewed my license so I would not feel like a second class citizen. One of the same reasons blacks tried to be accepted as white and gays have tried to pass for straight. I did not want to be relegated to the back of the bus! Metaphorically speaking, of course.

Learned and thought about a couple of things. First thing: trying to pass is stressful! I was half expecting to be ‘discovered’.

The second thing was a something I realized. Light bulb moment. There is black pride and gay pride but no low vision pride! Why did I even feel the need to pass? I obviously don’t think the visually impaired me is ‘good enough’. I need to add symbols of what I consider to be a complete adult. Hmmmm.

THAT is something for a visually impaired support group to mull over. Thought I would throw it out in a moment of stark honesty and see what you think. I would suspect other people have felt ‘less than’ as well.

The other reasons I renewed my license are me being both practical and ever hopeful. Driverless cars are coming. It would be awesome if they were available to the general public in the next four years before this license expires. What if you have to be a licensed driver to drive one? I should have a valid license! And what if a miracle happens and they find a way to either biologically or technologically restore my sight? I need to be prepared!

So, just shoot me. I spent part of my morning pretending I was someone I am not. I passed. Pretty stressful actually. Between the shoulder pain and that, I need an early nap time. Tomorrow, I am back to being visually impaired.

written July 11th, 2017

Continue reading “Someone I Am Not”

Better Safe Than Sorry

A couple of years ago my good friend, the accountant, got run down on her bike. The person who ran her down was 90 years old. He never saw her.

Fortunately, my friend has recovered. She is still trying to get compensation for medical bills and lost wages, but it could have been much worse.

Last week there was a similar incident. Another bicycle racer and a friend of my friend was run down by an 89 year old. She was driving on the berm and never saw him. The only reason she even stopped was because her tire went flat.

So here I am at 62 not driving and hating it. It is sort of vexing these old people are still driving and I am not.  But do I truly want to be on the road? Yes and no.

I would love to have the independence of driving. However, my Macular Degeneration Partnership newsletter just came today and the article on driving hit pretty close to home. The article quotes a book titled Driving With Confidence, A Practical Guide to Driving With Low Vision. There are six questions to ask yourself and you were only ‘allowed’ one failure. I had two.   [Click here to go to that article & answer those questions].

I have to ‘decipher’ road signs. My vision is not good enough for me to catch them on the fly and be able to respond. Also, other cars just pop into my field of vision. I told my friend who brings me home from school it is like cars coming towards us in the opposing lane are emerging from a fog bank. They startle me. Sad but true, I flunked the quiz.

As much as I hate not driving, I think I would probably hate a charge of vehicular homicide a bit more. That means I stay off the roads.

Stay off the roads for now but have hope for the future that is. My vision is sitting right on the line. Technically I have not lost my license. My doctors, my husband and I all agree the prudent thing to do is not to drive. I am most definitely respecting that for now. Should the clinical trial improve my sight there is the outside chance I  may be able to do a little driving around town in the future. This would be especially true if they continue to make advances towards safer, ‘self driving’ cars.

Many people don’t like the thought of a machine being in control but if it meant I could drive and be assured I could not run into anything, I would be all for it!

Of course, I would have to take an older drivers’ course before I got back in the game. AARP and AAA both gave programs. Some private rehabilitation companies have them as well.

Maybe with these developments I can have a more independent future without screwing up the future for someone else.

Some people in the US can drive if they meet certain criteria, have specialized equipment & instruction.  Click here to read more.

Continue reading “Better Safe Than Sorry”

Resources

June 2023 There’s an announcement that since Sue has not written any new journal pages for some time, the site has been archived until we can decide if the work necessary to make sure all information is accurate and up-to-date can be made. In the meantime, you’ll get some pages ‘not found’ or ‘private’ until that decision has been made. The emphasis for several years has been on the Facebook group.

2/14/2022 Because of the rapid and constant growth of our Facebook group, I cannot keep this list updated.  I have a large amount of information available in the Facebook group in Guides which are like chapters in a book or lessons in a course. Plus, in 3 years, the amount of information in the posts and comments is quite substantial. I recommend that you join us there where you can get the information and the support to help you in your journey.  Thanks for understanding. Hope to see you there! Lin/Linda…
I’ve added some pages from that group that might be of interest to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Click here for the list of Frequently Asked Questions from our Facebook group.


AREDS2-based Supplements

There are several pages on the site that explain what AREDS2 means and who the AREDS2-based products are for. Click here to go to a list of articles.

AREDS2-based Supplements With 0 or 25mg of Zinc

Click here for the list.


Navigating

There are a lot of links here.  I’ve set up this page so that when you click on a link (words that are underlined & in blue or green), a NEW tab will open in your browser and this page STAYS WHERE IT IS.  When you are done with the new page you opened, just close it.  You do NOT need to use the back option.  If you click on a link and the new page replaces this one, I’VE MADE A MISTAKE so please let me know by sending me an email at light2sight5153@gmail.com.  Let me know exactly which link or links do not open a new tab or window.

Errors: If you click on a link and you get a ‘page not found’ error, please let me know by sending me an email at light2sight5153@gmail.com.  Let me know exactly which link or links do not open a new tab or window.

Additions: If you have a link you’d like to add, please email at light2sight5153@gmail.com.


Topics-click below to move to a topic

Links We Like

  • Click here for a GREAT resource where you answer some simple questions and you get a customized guide based on your responses
  • Click here for a great glossary
  • Click here for Low Vision Resources: A List of Lists (such as 8 ways to slow AMD, 15 tips for family and friends, etc)
  • Videos
    • Click here for several videos
    • Click here for the UK Macular Society’s Say Hello to Mac
    • Click here for one that uses illustrations and animation (explains how wet AMD progresses and how the injections work)
  • Click here for a description of dry vs. wet AMD (we are not recommending any products in this article)
  • Click here for an article about depression after diagnosis
  • Click here for a very comprehensive page about wet AMD
  • Click here for a very comprehensive page about dry AMD
  • Click here for a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) that answers a long list of questions such as ‘will resting help my eyes?’, ‘Can I see for myself if my retina or macula shows any signs of damage before I have symptoms?’, ‘why don’t new eye glasses help?’, ‘what is meant by degeneration?’, ‘is a macular hole the same as macular degeneration’, ‘I have had dry MD for years. Does this mean I’m going to get wet MD too?’, ‘No one else in my family has MD. Why did I get it?’, ‘can drusen be treated?’, ‘I have changes on the Amsler Grid, does this mean I have MD’, ‘I have Wet MD but my Doctor says there is nothing he can do or no treatment available. Why is this?’
  • Click here for a short introduction to stems cells, what they are and how they can be used.

See what vision is like at the various stages of AMD

Click here to find ways to see simulations of what vision loss due to AMD is like at various stages.


Glossary

Go to the Top


Websites devoted to AMD and Other Forms of Macular Degeneration

listed in no particular order

Go to the Top


Websites containing information about AMD and Other Forms of Macular Degeneration

listed in no particular order

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Support

I’ve not been able to verify if these are kept up to date. Let me know if you find that they are not or if you have one  you’d like to add.

Message Boards including ones from
By postal mail

I don’t know if these are still accurate.

  • Association for Macular Diseases
    210 E. 64th Street
    New York, NY 10021
    (212) 605-3719
    – Offers education and information on macular disease through seminars, newsletters, and a hotline. Offers counseling to patients and their families.
  • Macular Degeneration International
    is now a part of Foundation Fighting Blindness
    Toll Free Helpline 1-800-683-5555
    EMail: MDInfo@blindness.org
    – Provides support for people affected by inherited macular degeneration including Stargardt’s disease.
Start Your Own
  • Vision Support Group-download video presentations  This group provides free information and support through presentations to groups of senior adults affected by macular degeneration and related retinal diseases.  You can join & get access to their materials so you can use them in your own group.
On the phone/telesupport

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Where to find services

  • In the US: click here to find a low vision center, retina specialist, state agency, ophthalmologist
  • In the UK: click here to support services (listed on the right side of the page) such as skills for seeing, counseling, access to treatment…and more
  • In the US: click here to search for a wide variety of services (more than the link above)
  • In Australia: click here to find an ophthalmologist and optometrist
  • Worldwide: click here for resources worldwide

Resources for Students

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Books and reading materials

Specific Titles

Sources of Books

Formats: Braille, large print, e-book and audiobooks

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Videos

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Personal stories of living with AMD

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Online newsletters

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What is AMD?

Wet Form
Dry Form
How fast does AMD progress?
  • A good article about how difficult this is to answer
  • Great video that explains why early detection is important especially when detecting the change from dry AMD to wet

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What is Stargardt’s Disease?

Also called Stargardt’s Disease (SD) or Stargardt Macular Dystrophy (SMD) or Juvenile Macular Degeneration (JMD), it’s an inherited, juvenile macular degeneration. The progressive vision loss associated with Stargardt disease is caused by the death of photoreceptor cells in the central portion of the retina called the macula.

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The Science Stuff

Role of RPEs

Geographic Atrophy

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Symptoms

Charles Bonnet Syndrome/Visual hallucinations

Other problems with vision & AMD

  • problems with visual acuity, photostress, blindspots, color vision, sensitivity to light, depth perception
  • eye problems that have similar symptoms as AMD:

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Risk factors

Age

  • Age is a large factor but can start earlier
  • Much less common are several hereditary forms of macular degeneration, which usually affect children or teenagers. Collectively, they are called Juvenile Macular Degeneration. They include Best’s Disease, Stargardt’s Disease, Sorsby’s Disease and some others.  See Stargard’s Disease section above.

Diet/nutrition (working on this section)

  • diet low in various nutrients & high in others have been linked to AMD.
  • See Nutrition and Vitamins/Supplements under Self-care/self-maintenance below.

Race

Gender

  • AMD more common in women perhaps because women live longer than men

Uncontrolled high blood pressure

Uncontrolled high cholesterol

Smoking

Blue Light

Eye Color

Aspirin & other medications

Other possible causes

  • Biological Process in Wet AMD – some evidence that the photoreceptors are starved by the lack of food (oxygen & nutrients in the blood) and the growth of blood vessels is to compensate for that.

Connection between AMD and Alzheimer’s Disease

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Treatments

  • FDA approved options in the US, injections, implantable telescopes, laser treatment (also outside the US)
Injections for Wet AMD
Telescopic implants
Are there new treatments in the pipeline?
Vitamins (see Self Maintenance/Self Care section below)

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Research/Clinical trials

 

How can I become a part of a clinical trial?

  • A list of sources of information about clinical trials and how to find out for you to participate in.
  • You can search for clinical trials from the links above
  • There are registries where you sign up and enter information about the status of your eyes.  Researchers will use this information to find people that match their research and contact you.  Click here for more information about these registries in the US and elsewhere

Gene Therapy

Bionic Eye/Retinal Implants

  • What is a bionic eye?  It’s also called retinal implant or retinal prosthesis.   Implant is put in retina, camera worn by person sends image to implant which stimulates optic nerve
  • Click here for overview of retinal implants including videos of how it works & interviews with people who have them.
  • March 21, 2016 UK Bionic eye being tested
  • Here’s an article about one being developed at Carnegie Mellon institute in Pittsburgh, PA.

Nutritional Supplements

  • See Vitamins/Supplements section below.

Stem Cells

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Coping with low vision

Low Vision Aids

Wearable Technology

  • coming soon!

Suppliers of low vision aids

Financial Help

Sunglasses

Lamps

Transportation

  • A website for the US where you enter your zip code and transportation options for your area will be shown.

Bioptic Driving

Depression

Checking vision

Amsler Grid

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Self maintenance/self care

Low vision rehabilitation

Vitamins/Supplements

Nutrition

Exercise/Activity

 


More to come, you can check out these posts now

Video: Overview of Assistive Technology for People with Low Vision

Highlight: How do I use Zoom for Apple products?

Highlight: What about Apple’s accessibility features?

News: Top 10 Low Vision Aids for AMD

 


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