Shadows

My life these days with myopic macular degeneration has settled into a routine of sorts. My limits are easily defined.

Routine

The days seem to revolve around lighting up my world: be it opening the blinds, shifting the curtains, turning on the LED lights, and adjusting lamps accordingly.

I am constantly flipping a switch in our home; continuously adjusting to maximize what I can see clearly. I complete these tasks almost mindlessly. It's interesting how being diagnosed just 3 years ago, I already unconsciously focus on my quest for more light. I just do it.

Challenging circumstances

In these past 3 years, my adjustments to life with myopic macular degeneration have also affected my life out in the world. Using over-the-glasses sunglasses with amber lenses has made driving so much more tolerable. The relentless bright sunshine is greatly softened and I no longer feel like I am blinded by its light.

I have acknowledged that night driving is no longer safe. Thankfully, I have a supportive spouse to assist with outings in the evening. My friends and family members have also jumped in when I needed help getting from one place to another. I am forever thankful for all of their assistance.

Daily outing

Recently, as my husband and I were out for the day, we stopped at a local coffee shop for a light lunch. They escorted us to our table and we proceeded to take our seats. That is when it hit me. Literally. The afternoon sun was beaming through the establishment’s front window and my initially chosen seat was facing it.

Stranger at my table

I sat down for a moment and looked across the table. My husband was sitting directly across from me but if I had not known better, I would have denied knowing who the heck this stranger was. The image I saw was a dark outline of a gentleman, tall, and that was all I could distinguish.

Having been married for 37-plus years, he immediately recognized my bewilderment. With a quick switch of our seating arrangement, I was able to sit across from him with the sun at my back. Like a magic swish of a wand, I was able to clearly see my life partner across the table and all was well with my world.

Shadows in the night

It is those adjustments that continually make this myopic macular degeneration a continuous element in my everyday life. Whether I consciously think of it or absent mindlessly deal with the day-to-day circumstances, being able to function and focus on my daily activities safely is the goal.

Working around shifting shadows and dimness in my day, I find that by asking for help, reaching out to anyone for assistance, I can succeed in a positive way.

Through it all, I have discovered that even when the dark shadows of night try to obscure my views, I can persevere through it all. Sometimes it is as easy as switching on the light.