Myopic Macular Degeneration

By mrsbedbug

3 min read

Hello, so glad to have found this community! I have posted in some of the other threads but will post my story here. High myope, started wearing glasses at age 6. Left eye was -14, right maybe minus 10 or 11. I’m 54. Was having gradually more trouble seeing, especially faces and driving at night. Treated for dry eye with Xiidra eye drops, this helped somewhat. A year ago had cataract surgery which was life-changing! I have about a minus two prescription which I use for driving and watching movies. Don’t even wear my glasses for work because my work is close up. It is so amazing to be free of my thick glasses!!!!

Posterior vitreous detachment and a small bleed

OK all was great until about four months ago. Had posterior vitreous detachments in left eye, then in right. I describe this as “saran wrap in my eye” because of the floaters. It seems to have improved or maybe I am getting used to it. Then 8 weeks ago had a small macular bleed on the left. Colored circle in my central vision with a blind spot and wavy lines in it. Kept hoping it was a migraine aura but sadly no.

Stopped driving at night

So I stopped driving at night which is fine with me anyway. Been followed by a retina specialist. Normal fluoroscein angiogram which means no “wet” component (good news) but that there is no treatment (not good news). BUT I have noticed the vision gradually returning! It is not perfect but much better! And I went back to the retina specialist who said the bleed has resolved! My vision in that eye went from 20/70 right after the bleed to 20/40 plus two (almost 20/30!). With my glasses on of course. So still an uncorrectable vision loss in that eye. But I was so very pleased. This was despite continuing with my hot yoga. So I guess I can continue that! In fact, the retina specialist even discharged me! Will follow up with my regular eye doctor in six months. And of course, return to the retina guy if he or I notice any changes.

Myopic macular degeneration

He was not able to tell me whether I would have more problems, but I do have “myopic macular degeneration”. He says this is less aggressive than the age-related form. He does see changes in the retinas, my regular eye doctor had thought I was developing an epiretinal membrane which apparently can happen after cataract surgery in younger folks, and requires surgery, but the retina guy said no, this was just changes of “myopic macular degeneration” and not related to the cataract surgery or to the recent posterior vitreous detachments. So no treatment. That is hard, wish I could do something to keep my retinas as healthy as possible.

Exercise, leafy greens, and legumes

Well actually I guess there is... I will continue to exercise and work to keep my weight down (had gained about 20 pounds over the past couple years, still at a normal BMI but want to get thin again…) and continue eating a ton of leafy greens🥬 and legumes (I’m vegetarian). In terms of vitamins, the retina guy said “they don’t help MMD) and my regular eye doctor said eating the way I do is the best way to get the nutrients. He did advise not taking vitamin E though.

Thank you for this site and this thread! Please feel free to comment about your own experiences and any thoughts…

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Cora Lyn Sears Moderator
You’ve certainly had a lot going on with your eyes, <inline-mention user-id="3117799" username="mrsbedbug"/> . But going from 20/70 to 20/40 seems almost miraculous! You might enjoy Andrea’s articles as she has myopic macular degeneration as well: <a href='https://maculardegeneration.net/community-advocates/andrea-junge' target='_blank'>https://maculardegeneration.net/community-advocates/andrea-junge/</a>. Thanks for sharing your story with our great community, Cora Lyn, <a href='https://maculardegeneration.net' target='_blank'>MacularDegeneration.net</a> Team Member
1. Andrea Junge Moderator
 Thank you, <inline-mention user-id="3118609" username="Cora Lyn Sears"/> <3. -Andrea
Andrea Junge Moderator
Thank you for sharing your story with us, <inline-mention user-id="3117799" username="mrsbedbug"/> . Wow, you have so much knowledge from so much experience. I also have MMD, was diagnosed with I was in my early twenties and have been on a journey filled with research myself since then. It's great to hear your cataract surgery was so successful for you. I haven't had that same experience, but I did have a similar one when my optometrist found a new type of contacts for me a few years ago that allowed me to see like never before. I can now do things like read signs clearly while driving and watch movies with subtitles. I think the most profound visual change for me, however, is not having a halo around lights at nighttime. My personal philosophy on eye vitamins is this...if we know our bodies needs well, then taking eye healthy vitamins can help give our eyes a fighting chance. Our eyes, specifically our retinas, contain the ever important carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin (blue light blocking nutrients)...which our bodies don't produce naturally. So, we either get them through our diets (best case scenario) or we supplement them with vitamins. I choose to do both, but I have done enough research to know what my body needs and doesn't. It sounds like you know your body well as well. One more thought I have is that BMI...I literally just had this conversation with my doctor last week reminiscing on when I was much younger and my retina specialist told me to 'get as skinny as I can'. I even wrote an article about it <a href='https://maculardegeneration.net/living/exercise-eye-health' target='_blank'>https://maculardegeneration.net/living/exercise-eye-health/</a>. Basically, the 'skinnier' or 'lighter' we are, the less pressure we have pulling on our eyes and retinas. This is important. Between nutrition, exercise, knowledge, and emotional wellbeing - there is actually A LOT we CAN do for a disease that has no cure or treatment. I appreciate your knowledge and thoughts on the matter. So glad you're here with us. -Andrea, <a href='https://maculardegeneration.net' target='_blank'>MacularDegeneration.net</a> Team Member
1. mrsbedbug Member
 So glad to hear about your contact lenses! That is amazing. I had such trouble finding contact lenses that worked for me throughout my life. Due to the high prescription required, they had to be thicker so less oxygen reached the cornea and they were more uncomfortable. And the cruel irony was many were simply unavailable in prescriptions greater than minus 10! I guess it really makes a difference to be persistent and keep on advocating for your own needs, even when others don't. Advocating for yourself, after all, lands up helping other people with similar health challenges! Take care.