My poor Nan has macular degeneration

wishiwasarichgirl

atticgirl2003 wrote: »

Hi does anyone know if the use of a magnifier with a light might make the condition worse.

no it won't.

Sarahsaver

Please seek medical advice surrounding this condition.

Ted_Hutchinson

Can Spinach Save Your Eyesight?

Horace

Visit the RNIB website as they can give advice to those who are losing their sight, they have all sorts of aids etc.

It is best to speak to them as well as to the consultant.

Sarahsaver

My Mum has been referred to the 'low vision clinic' and she cannot understand why! Maybe thats the answer, a complete head in the sand attitude!?!?!? :eek:
She's only just recently got her eyes sorted out again and is just getting used to new glasses. She says the glasses are not v good but no Mum its your eyesight! Unfotunately the prospect of not being able to see her new grandchild in September isnt enough to get to grips with her diabetes properly as i said b4 shes got cataracts, AMD and diabetic retinopathy.

talkhard

Hiya and really sorry to hear about your nan. Like other people have said on the board, your nan will not go blind but her vision may be impaired.

There are absolutely loads of aids available for people with limited vision and the blind. Telephone your local Social Services and ask for the Sensory Service (this is what it is called where I live in Wales). They're a fab service that can give lots of advice for people and also suggest aids that would be helpful to your nan as she lives alone. My nan was registered blind recently and given lots of suggestions such as big button telephones, changing the lights in her home and also different colours in different zones in the house as they can usually see colours even if they can't make things out clearly. The service said that people are very rarely completely blind and have lots of aids that maximise even the slightest vision. They also make suggestions if your nan is hard of hearing- like my nan.

My nan was also given extra benefits because she was registered blind. She was given a form by her eye doctor (don't know the correct term for this!) to fill in, sent it to the benefits office and she was given extra money- not a huge amount but every bit helps at her age

My boyfriend (who is only 29) was diagnosed with mac. de. earlier this year. Ultra rare at his age and it was down at the corner rather than centrally in his vision. He's been given laser treatment on his eye that has helped and slowed down the process.

Good luck with everything. Try not to worry. Elderly people are by far more resilient- that generation has been through a hell of a lot.

ceejayblue

My 87 year old mum has this too. She has now got some photochromic lenses for her glasses to make sure that she keeps her eyes shaded in the sun. The optician also recommended she wears a hat with a peak if she is sitting out in the sun.

She doesn't like green veg or peppers etc so takes a daily dose of lutein that she gets from Holland and Barrett. It wasn't very expensive - they have lots of offers each week.

Sarahsaver

Ted_Hutchinson wrote: »

Can Spinach Save Your Eyesight?

This is not appropriate here! I think from the sound of it the people being discussed here are beyond the 'eat your greens' stage :eek:

Mojisola

Sarahsaver wrote: »

This is not appropriate here! I think from the sound of it the people being discussed here are beyond the 'eat your greens' stage :eek:

But it could help the rest of us to protect our eyes so we don't get to this stage.

moanymoany

wishiwasarichgirl wrote: »

no it won't.

You are a very useful girl on this post, you speak with authority - did I miss you saying you were in the trade?

Spinach won't save you if you are far gone, but if you are in the early stages it may help to change your diet.

My mil has the disease and is registered with the RNIB. I am starting to feed both dh and myself extra spinach etc. I've bought tinned as it is easy to store and I use the liquid for sauces etc. Tinned value sweetcorn is cheap and could be eaten every other day.