Hello all, I have a friend who needs a little assistance. As you know, I am out of here more than I am on right now, due to my hectic schedule. I got a PM from this person and have posted the info here, with the permission of the member, but we chose to keep the name anonymous at this time.

So, here goes, if any of you could help me do some research for this member, I would greatly appreciate it.

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I'm not getting the answers from my doctor that I need to plan my future so I thought I would try here.
I have been diagnosed with Macular Degeneration, the dry kind. My left eye has two gray spots and my right eye has three. It doesn't bother me driving or in a lighted area. However, in a dim room if I stare directlyat a object on the carpet it simply disappears.
The one burning question that I have and no one seems to have a answer for me is HOW LONG BEFORE IT GETS SO BAD I CAN'T FUNCTION? I just want a ball park/average figure. Months? Years? ANYBODY??

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I know that it is common to have objects "disappear" in dim light. But how much time this member has I have not found the answer yet. S/he is lucky in that it is the Dry form of AMD, as this one is slow in progression compared to the Wet form, but that's all I have so far.

Thanks to all of you.

J

I have a home care client with the dry kind of MD. He was diagnosed a year ago and is still living on his own. Having some difficulty with reading and so has gotten the usual magnifying aids for reading. His doctor says he is doing better than what the original prognosis was. He has drops to put in his eyes but nothing beyond that. Yes, there will come the day when he loses his sight but right now, it is unknown. His doctor has said that he could stay this way for as long as another four years. But the doctor said he could not predict when the complete loss of vision would be.

I am sorry I do not have more positive things to say about dry MD.

My 85 year old neighbor has it and he was diagnosed almost 2 years ago. He use's the drops as well and has special glasses to watch television. They are not giving him a time limit. Btw he is still driving but only here in town.

Macular Degeneration
Macular Degeneration Foundation - Home

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Macular Degeneration - Wet and Dry - Age Related Macular Degeneration
Treatment
There is no proven medical therapy for dry macular degeneration. In selected cases of wet macular degeneration, laser photocoagulation is effective for sealing leaking or bleeding vessels. Unfortunately, laser photocoagulation usually does not restore lost vision, but it may prevent further loss.

Recently, EyeCare News has proven to be effective in stopping abnormal blood vessel growth in some patients with wet AMD. This new type of laser treatment is far less damaging than laser photocoagulation and is the treatment of choice in many cases.

Early diagnosis is critical for successful treatment of wet macular degeneration. Patients can help the doctor detect early changes by monitoring vision at home with an Amsler grid eye test.

Tips for AMD patients
If you've been diagnosed with AMD, making a few simple lifestyle changes could have a positive impact on the health of your retina.
Monitor your vision daily with an Amsler grid. By checking your vision regularly, changes that may require treatment can be detected early.

Take a multi-vitamin with zinc. (check with your eye physician for a recommendation). Antioxidants, along with zinc and lutein are essential nutrients, all found in the retina. It is believed that people with AMD may be deficient in these nutrients.

Incorporate dark leafy green vegetables into your diet. These include spinach, collard greens, kale and turnip greens.

Always protect your eyes with sunglasses that have UV protection. Ultraviolet rays are believed to cause damage to the pigment cells in the retina.

Quit smoking. Smoking impairs the body's circulation, decreasing the efficiency of the retinal blood vessels.

Exercise regularly. Cardiovascular exercise improves the body's overall health and increases the efficiency of the circulatory system.

These are a few tips to make reading easier:

Use a halogen light. These have less glare and disperse the light better than standard light bulbs.

Shine the light directly on your reading material. This improves the contrast and makes the print easier to see.

Use a hand-held magnifier. A drugstore magnifier can increase the print size dramatically.

Try large-print or audio books. Most libraries and bookstores have special sections reserved for these books.

Consult a low vision specialist. These professionals are specially trained to help visually impaired patients improve their quality of life. After a personalized consultation, they can recommend appropriate magnifiers, reading aids, practical tips, and many resources.
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Life After Macular Degeneration
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Age-Related Macular Degeneration - Topic Overview - MSN Health & Fitness - Eye Care
What are the symptoms?

The main symptom of macular degeneration is dim or fuzzy central vision. Objects may look warped or smaller than they really are. You may have a blank or blind spot in the center of your field of vision. As the disease gets worse, you may have trouble with tasks like reading and driving.

The two forms differ in how quickly symptoms develop and how severe they are.
If you have the dry form, your vision will probably become blurry so slowly that you won't notice it for a long time. You may have it for several years before it affects your ability to read, drive, and do everyday activities.
In the wet form, vision loss happens quickly and can be severe.

Often the first symptom of the wet form is that straight lines look wavy or curved. If you think you might have wet macular degeneration, see your doctor right away. In some cases, quick treatment may help you keep your central vision.
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