The Next Level

Myopic macular degeneration is a lot of words to use to simply say the vision I have now is remarkably different than when I was younger. What once was clear and straight and unobstructed is now a jumble of issues. I now see images through a hazy blur, complete with a constant, unnerving waviness as well. I started having eye bleeds nearly three years ago, beginning the journey of eye exams and subsequent injections to stop this cycle.

Thankful for modern medicine

My cycle of retinal specialist appointments began with frequent visits.

Every six weeks brought the thorough exams and the inevidentable eye injections, for almost two years. As time moved on, the visits became less frequent, and ultimately a time came when ten months had passed, and I had not needed an injection. The intervention of modern medicine had prevailed. The bleeds had been stopped.

The now

Now it feels like I can take a deep breath, pause, and try to hold on to what I have now. It definitely is not perfect vision, not by any means.

Sometimes I wonder, what if I had to depend on just the afflicted eye? Life would be so much more difficult. At the same time, I’m grateful that the downward spiral has been paused, creating a moment of thankfulness and gratitude for what medicine has given me, and to think of those whose treatment had not been as successful. But at the end of the day, I have to live in the present and be grateful for what my experience has been.

The day-to-day

The world of retirement living is mundane, but enjoyable, especially without worrying about bleeds and injections in the day-to-day. We live in a nice, small town that has all the conveniences that we could need without the bustle of the big city.

My outings are not extravagant: grocery shopping, coffee shops, church, restaurants, and retail malls. These all sufficiently satisfy my worldly desires. Since deciding that night driving was no longer the best or safest option for me, these outings all occur before sunset, for my safety and the safety of others, unless my husband is along for the ride!

Without trying to dwell on the negative aspect of my altered vision, there are still times when it is so overwhelmingly prevalent. Shopping? The labels often have text that is tiny beyond belief. Restaurants? The subtle ambiance lighting creates a perfect storm of confusion as I try to interpret the menu before ordering. Grocery shopping also presents its challenges when trying to carefully calculate ingredients and portion sizes afforded on a particular item.

The next level

Through all these challenges, I have learned to persevere. I have gotten pretty good at strategically peering through the lens of an iPhone to read labels or quickly light up the handy flashlight app to see what needs to be seen. Of course, I have even just handed over the unknown items to my husband with the statement “I can not read this,” and that works too. It may not be perfect, but it works for me!