Newly diagnosed with Dry AMD
During my annual eye exam my Opthamalogist told me I have dry AMD. I was so shocked. He referred me to see RS which I did last week. The RS did all the tests and confirmed I had Intermediate Dry AMD in my left eye. I was so upset, scared and have been very depressed since the appointment. I am having such a hard time coping with this reality. At this moment I can see perfectly with both eyes but in my mind all I can think of from the time I wake up until the time I try to sleep is what my future life will be when my
eyesight deteriorates. Have any of you have these feeling and how do you cope with them and change the way you think about your condition. I am 62 years old and want to live a full and happy life without focusing on this disease all day long everyday.
I understand how you are feeling now. I felt that way when I was diagnosed. My parents both had macular degeneration, so it wasn't a shock for me, but I was still very upset for quite a while. I take hope and gain comfort from a few sources. Macular degeneration can progress very slowly for some people, so I hope I am one of those. They are working on treatments for the dry form, in the advanced stage, and some of those treatments are available now. That wasn't the case in previous years. Hopefully there will be even more treatments in coming years. I try to get used to accessible technology so that I can still operate my television, laptop and other devices if my sight deteriorates. I try to eat a Mediterranean-type diet, wear sunglasses and get regular exercise. These things are thought to help with our eyes. My RS recommended taking AREDS2-type supplements and using an Amsler Grid between appointments to check my sight at home. If you have any questions about any of these points, please let us know. There is hope for us now, which earlier generations didn't have. Warm wishes, Wendy, Patient Leader. 
I wanted to stress that your feeling of shock and depression are not uncommon in those of us with macular degeneration. Sometimes we adjust well on our own. Other community members have sought professional help. I found that arming myself with knowledge about the condition to be helpful. The support of community members has been invaluable. Check out the forum section of the website to find topics of interest. Warm wishes, Sharon Moore patient leader
