Macular degeneration

[trof]

Anybody else?
Mine is progressing rapidly.
Typing is a chore.
Reading is difficult.
I'm using a 24" TV for a monitor and still have to use a Fresnel lerns to see the text.
Bummer.
Oh yeah, lots of typos.

[True Dough]

1. How long have you been diagnosed, trof?

My wife's grandmother and my grandfather both had it for several years. Very gradual deterioration for both of them.

[trof]

17. SEverasl years.

It was gradual for a long time. Now not so much.

[OAITW r.2.0]

2. Use CTRL +

It's your eye friend!

[Cha]

8. TY , OAITW! It's even

Bigger than my Zoom 200!

How do you get it small when you want to? By using CTRL -1?

[OAITW r.2.0]

22. CTRL -

Everything gets smaller!

[Cha]

24. Mahalo! Have a Happy Healthy

New Year, OAITW!

[OAITW r.2.0]

25. Backatcha.

[progree]

26. Another trick: Ctrl 0 resets it to 100%. At least on Chrome. That's Control Zero /nt

[Cha]

27. TY.. I realized that my laptop has

a Zoom feature with + or - that does the same thing!

[trof]

18. Also ctrl scroll up. Or is it down. One or the other. But it really messes up format.

[Srkdqltr]

3. Do you get the shots for it?

[Cha]

9. I have it, too.. & don't

get shots bc the shots are for Wet Macular Degeneration.

& I have the Dry Kind.

Thanks.

[trof]

19. Nope, still dry.

[Biophilic]

4. I was a Low Vision Occupational Therapist - retired 5 years ago

Here are a couple of resources that I found to be be really helpful.

Living well with low vision.org

Vision Aware.org

MD support.org Dan Roberts organization - he is wonderful and runs support groups of every kind

WebRN Mac Generation news.com Run by a nurse who gets paid commercials but also has some very good information

Hope some of these can give you some help. MD really is a bitch.

[underpants]

6. Let me add - look into your state's department for blind and vision impaired

They probably have resources available and info like you provided.

[Cha]

10. Yes, it is a *****.. I have

too.. for years & just now getting worse.

TY for the Resources, Biophilic!

[Biophilic]

13. Of course.

I'm also glad to answer questions. Wish I could do more.

[trof]

20. Thank you

[42bambi]

5. Sorry you are having trouble with your eyes. It must be a constant battle for

you. I have dry eyes and lately I had difficulty opening them when I first woke up, so I finally bought a table top cooling humidifier. I have it on while sleeping. My eyes now open with no problem ... no dry irritation. The unit is small and fits on my night table. If you think it may help you the name of it is:

AURORAmini 0.33 Gal. Ultrasonic Humidifier for 360 sq. ft.
by AIRCARE

I bought mine at Home Depot.
Good Luck to you.

[RicROC]

7. Retinal Specialist Ophthalmologist

You didn't say if you were being treated. If not or being under-treated, you need to go to an Ophthalmologist who is a Retina Specialist.

[trof]

21. Yes, I've been seeing one of those for 5-6 years?

[Cha]

11. Aloha, trof.. I have it, too & have found

a really nice Magnifying Glass works wonders.. it somehow fills in the missing pieces.

I have 3 strategically placed around my Apt.

This CTRL +1 works pretty good too.. only still missing parts of letters, of course.

Yes, a lot Slower now!

Thank you for asking about this. Best of Luck!

[alfie]

12. I also have the dry MD

I was diagnosed about 12 years ago. It progressed slowly until the last year. Now I can notice a difference almost every day. I also have a larger monitor than I had been using. I still have the font increased to 130%. I also had a vitreous detachment in my "good eye" about 6 months ago. Now there is a long term floater that is obscuring part of my central vision. I don't have any central vision in the other eye. It really slows my reading down.

I will try the low vision sites listed above. I would love to have some help. I saw a retinologist who didn't offer anything that could help.

I take the vitamins that are recommended to slow the progress. Nothing will reverse the damage that has occured.

I no longer feel safe driving and have stopped even trying. Food prep is dangerous if I am holding a sharp knife. I have a lot of trouble seeing pictures and bringing them into focus. Lousy depth perception. I cannot recognize people's faces. I have to keep talking with them until I recognize their voice or they say something that helps me identify who I am talking with.

It is a nasty disease and I don't wish it on anyone.

Susan

[Biophilic]

14. A couple of people who might help

Keep trying to find a retinologist who also works with or at least has knowledge of low vision therapists.

Look for a Low Vision OT or a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist.

Even an Orientation and Mobility Specialist might be helpful and might know other resources.

There are also Low Vision Optometrists - they tend to be more practical and helpful than retinologists who tend to be more medically oriented. Ophthalmologists are the main source of referrals for therapy for Macular Degeneration.

If you're a vet check with your VA services. Some areas have some really good services.

If you live near Detroit Michigan or Birmingham Alabama you are access to 2 extremely good resources. Let me know and I'll send information.

If you live near a university with a good medical school they probably have some sort of Low Vision program.

There are resources out there but you sometimes have to really dig to find them.

[alfie]

15. Thanks for your helpful hints

I live in a rural area in the NE Georgia mountains. Atlanta is about 2 hours away. The next nearest location for a retionologist is just over an hour away. It isn't impossible to get to these places, but it isn't somewhere I could plan on going to several times a week for therapy. There are two PT/OT/ST organizations near me. I want to call to see if they have anyone who is used to working with low vision folks.
Once we get past this eternally long COVID-19 isolation I will feel safer traveling to see doctors or therapists I am unfamiliar with. It would be nice if could see a doctor who can order what he feels will be the best therapy for me and be able to get it locally.

Thanks again, Susan

Once

[Biophilic]

16. You're welcome. Good luck. I really hope you find at least a bit more help.

You never know what you might discover when you go looking and have a better idea of what you're looking for. I hear you about waiting until Covid is less of an issue.

[trof]

23. Susan those are exactly my symptoms.

I quit driving about 6 months ago. No longer safe and I live in a small town.
Luckily I have an excellent chauffer in Miz. t.

I loved to read but it's too much of a struggle now.
I do still enjoy movies and videos on youtube.