A few years ago I had cataract surgery, both eyes a month apart, successfully though it did not eliminate my need for correction as it does for some people. I was told at that time that I had the beginning of macular degeneration as most all people my age had it. I went five or more years with no problems until I noticed one day that the boxes around open programs were edged with wavy lines. Checking out whether all lines were wavy, not just those on my computer, I noticed that telephone poles were wavy as were tree trunks. The edges to door jambs were no straight. I was amazed at how quickly my brain straightened out those lines in my head so that, after a while, I scarcely noticed the irregularities.That was a bout six months ago.
My optometrist and ophthalmologist and my optometrist separately confirmed that it was quite unlikely that the ruffles at the bottom of my retinas would ever straighten out. Five months later I noted a second change. The lines did not just wave but as i read my computer, there was a spot that definitely dipped and made it difficult to read above it. The TV screen also plays games with me. If there is a familiar face, I can still recognize it easily. If it is a new face, I cannot see it clearly as it distorts; the eyes, nose and mouth won't stay still.
My ophthalmologist says currently there is nothing that can be done to halt the degeneration or correct the retina to a full screen. The retina cannot be smoothed over as some eyes have been able to be helped because the lumps that are cause the ruffles are underneath. You can't smooth something over bumps.
I've learned that just as one can read a paragraph in which the first letter of each word stays the same but the rest are scrambled, our brains are much smarter than our eyes. Even though the letters on the page may look a bit like the letters floating in alphabet soup, knowing the context of a few words in a sentence makes the task of filling in the blanks much easier. Since I often follow my own advice, I do not worry about things which I cannot change and over which I have no control. I will go for regular checkups but am told the only thing that I can really expect to happen will be that my dry macular degeneration may turn wet which necessitates monthly shots. Wet means there is either some blood or fluid in the eye, helped by the shots but it doesn't clear up the macular.
Scientists are working on a synthetic retina. For details, click here. It makes me wonder if I will live long enough to get to use one.
My optometrist and ophthalmologist and my optometrist separately confirmed that it was quite unlikely that the ruffles at the bottom of my retinas would ever straighten out. Five months later I noted a second change. The lines did not just wave but as i read my computer, there was a spot that definitely dipped and made it difficult to read above it. The TV screen also plays games with me. If there is a familiar face, I can still recognize it easily. If it is a new face, I cannot see it clearly as it distorts; the eyes, nose and mouth won't stay still.
My ophthalmologist says currently there is nothing that can be done to halt the degeneration or correct the retina to a full screen. The retina cannot be smoothed over as some eyes have been able to be helped because the lumps that are cause the ruffles are underneath. You can't smooth something over bumps.
I've learned that just as one can read a paragraph in which the first letter of each word stays the same but the rest are scrambled, our brains are much smarter than our eyes. Even though the letters on the page may look a bit like the letters floating in alphabet soup, knowing the context of a few words in a sentence makes the task of filling in the blanks much easier. Since I often follow my own advice, I do not worry about things which I cannot change and over which I have no control. I will go for regular checkups but am told the only thing that I can really expect to happen will be that my dry macular degeneration may turn wet which necessitates monthly shots. Wet means there is either some blood or fluid in the eye, helped by the shots but it doesn't clear up the macular.
Scientists are working on a synthetic retina. For details, click here. It makes me wonder if I will live long enough to get to use one.
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