Very stressed since I found out I have MD
I am 72 years old, and I have always been super healthy, and found out a year ago I have MD, I don't know if it is wet or dry. I have been researching things on the internet, and went the eye doctor two weeks ago. He says on a one to four scale and one being the less mine is below one. I still work as a cashier, but every morning I wake up and think of this all day long. I am so scared, but when I found out that it you can keep some sight in your eyes it helps my fears. It is in both eyes. My dad had it also. I don't smoke, take the vitamins the doctor told me to get, and eat pretty healthy and i drink carrot juice every morning. How can I make myself stop stressing. I am really scared....
I am glad you shared your fears with us. As a Patient Leader I am a fellow sufferer with dry AMD for 7+years now. I suspect yours is dry since you didn’t mention getting injections. You are wise to research but make sure you look to reputable websites such as this one. Generally speaking, macular degeneration progresses slowly with only 10-15% developing wet AMD. The Mediterranean diet is recommended. Other lifestyle changes may help slow the progression https://maculardegeneration.net/lifestyle-changes/
Warm wishes, Sharon Moore Patient LeaderGod bless you thank you so much. I am taking the daily otc vitamins for eye health and trying to eat healthy and I am scared to eat anything not healthy it is stupid but I just don't know what to do or not to do,, I wonder if it is ok to wear my eye glasses outside when it is sunny (they transition) , or should I not step foot out of the door without my sunglasses on, no one has told me a darn thing and I need some answers ! I'm scared to even eat a candy bar for fear my AMD will turn to wet, and they never said if it is wet or dry the eye doctor never said much. just that I have it,, and it will progress slowly, but I am 72 and so confused as to what to do or not to do. I try always wear sunglasses over my transition glasses but i don’t worry about brief times spent outdoors. My recommendation is to educate yourself using the great articles you will find on this website. Start with the basics and go from there. If you have specific questions post a forum thread at maculardegeneration.com/forums
You can also private message me if you need support. Warm wishes, Sharon Moore Patient Leader
I'm another Patient Leader and I've had dry macular degeneration for nearly eight years now. Both of my parents had it. I felt the way you do at first. Mine is progressing a little bit, but I still see well enough to do everything I want to, except perhaps driving in unfamiliar territory at night (but I never liked to do that anyway!) I have some friends for whom it has never progressed at all. You are at a very early stage, and they are working on treatments all the time, with some promising things in the pipeline. I make sure I keep all my eye doctor appointments and try not to worry, otherwise it spoils the good days I have now. I hope you can too. Warm wishes, Wendy, Patient Leader. Thank you so much my stress level has been over the top since the doctor told me this.. God bless you.
we all hope you're feeling a little less stressed now and we're pleased that we were able to reassure you. We're always here for any more questions you have. Warm wishes, Wendy, Patient Leader.
...because it is a natural reaction to be scared. I am 78 and found out 3 months ago. At first it was "foreign" "not me" "somebody else". Then I went to my first Retina Doc...got my first shot in the eye...spent the next 8 hours bewildered as I expected NONE of what happened at the Retina docs nor did I expect the very bad burning in my eye for the next 8 hours!. Having said all that and a few cuss words...I started reading about what MD is, how it's treated, how long do the shots go on...I found this web site. #1. Educate yourself about what you are dealing with and do what your Doc tells you. #2. I do a "simple" thing...can you compartmentalize? If I start getting scared about it, I ask myself, "Is a shot going to happen today?" Almost every day the answer is NO! So I don't worry about it JUST for that day. I call it the "TARA Syndrome" from Gone With The Wind...About the destroyed plantation she said, "I'll think about it tomorrow. Tomorrow will be a better day." And FINALLY the visit. There are many tests they will run to see the condition of your vision and your retina. Takes a while but none of them are painful. They will put a lot of drops in your eyes for different things...none of them hurt. #3. I talked to my Retina Doc...tell your doc everything. Mine really wants to know what's working or not about the whole procedure to make it better for you. I told him about the burning. He said, "Easy Fix." So after this second shot, in put in a dab of Erythromycin Ophth Oint 3.5 GM. It's an ointment so it protects the eye surface better...and Wallah! NOT A MOMENT OF BURNING!!! He gave me my own Rx of it so I could have it at home, but usually by the next day I'm good to go. It just feels like my eye is a bit swollen. So if you have to start shots, ask, AT THE FIRST ONE, if they will put some ointment (not just a watery rinse) in your eye immediately after the shot to prevent burning after the shot. #5. The shot. The FEAR of the shot is FAR AND AWAY worse then the shot. It takes less than a second. Does not really hurt. Like somebody bumped into you...only in your eye. Ever get something in your eye like sand? an eyelash? FAR worse pain and annoyance then the shot believe it or not. Immediately after the shot, your eye or eyes will be gooey from the ointment and wonky from being dilated. But no pain. So have someone drive you if its both eyes. I only have one eye done so I drive myself. I hope some of this helped. Just take one thing and one day at a time and this, too, will become just another part of your daily routine. there is nothing better than hearing from people that no exactly what you are experiencing. You shared such great tips! Your idea about compartmentalizing is a wonderful way to cope. My husband have often used the Tara syndrome when feeling overwhelmed by a decision we need to make. Blessings to you, Sharon Moore Patient Leader 
This was so wonderful to read and hopefully so helpful for someone who is fearful of getting injections for wet macular degeneration. Thank you so much for being here and sharing your experience and advice with us. Best, Abby (Team member).
Thank you. I'm glad I found you guys. Finding out that you have MD gives you a feeling of fear because you are out of control...you cannot control what is happening to your eyes, it is SUDDEN, and overwhelming. You have to take such problems...break them down and handle them piece by piece.
we're glad you found us too! Your tip about the ointment after the shot will be interesting to all of those who suffer with pain and irritation after the injection. The great idea of breaking things down into manageable chunks can be used for many areas of life and it's a really useful life skill to learn. Warm wishes, Wendy, Patient Leader.
