Can someone please explain to me what happens with macular degeneration?
By kbkbooks
@kbkbooks (7022)
Canada
March 17, 2007 11:35am CST
My husband has macular degeneration and I am not sure exactly what happens here. Some days he seems to be able to see fairly well. Some days he is pretty near totally blind. Darkness is apparently much more intense to him, so by the time we all start to notice dusk he is in the dark. He cannot read by a lamp but can only see to read if he is outside in full sunlight. The doctor has stopped his driving. Will he eventually be blind? Is this something that can be treated by lazer?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@jeraldanmarie (472)
• Philippines
10 May 07
there are so many sites that explains about macular degeneration. my son is blind due to retina detachment so am reading alot about his condition, about yours I came across about that but so sorry haven't read alot about it except that I knew that it might lead to blindness too, but I think there are still preventions, lasers and operation available for that condition
1 person likes this
@kbkbooks (7022)
• Canada
10 May 07
Thanks. My husband has been having more examinations. His macula is leaking all the time. But they can't fix it until they get rid of the cataracts now, which are growing very fast, almost right over the pupil. It will mean four separate surgeries, two on each eye, but I think it will help him. He's waiting to hear from the hospital for an appointment.
@net_chick (103)
• Philippines
31 Mar 07
Hi... macula degeneration happens when the light sensing cells in our macula stop to function or decreasingly functions. Somehow, this is age related but it can also appear in young ones. Anyway, aside from age and family history some of the risk factors are smoking, stress, excessive fat intake, too much exposure to sun and sometimes race is also one factor.
1 person likes this
@kbkbooks (7022)
• Canada
31 Mar 07
I guess in my husband's case its partly from his family. His mother has it also, but the doctor says hers is too far gone to fix. One good thing is that we found out just yesterday that part of the problem is that my husband has cataracts very quickly growing right over his pupil, which is why his sight is going so quickly. They found out that the macular degeneration is not leaking or bleeding as much as they thought but if they go in to remove the cataract they will probably also do something to seal up where it was so it won't go further. Thank you for your help.
@kurtbiewald (2625)
• United States
17 Mar 07
well for a start, you can safely stop wearing makup and can gain 20 pounds or so, hair styling might matter a bit less in the future then
sorry for the crudeness and to blind folks, I couldn't help it this time
1 person likes this
@snuglesteen (188)
• Philippines
17 Mar 07
Macular degeneration is a disorder of the retina...particularly the macula which is the central part. It functions mainly for your central vision. There are 2 types of this...age-related macular degeneration and senile macular degeneration. The degeneration is a result of an insult to your retinal pigment epithiluim (RPE)which is a layer of your retina. Your RPE serves as barrier and filter for the nutrients needed for your retina. A disruption with your RPE results in thinning and drying out of the retina which affects central vision. peripheral vision on the other hand stays intact...so this does not lead to complete total blindness. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for this disease but there are therapeutic approaches such as lasers to prevent progression of the disease. Take care of him and goodluck :)
1 person likes this
