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cindylou2 · 09-26-2008, 05:23 PM

Hi everyone!

I went for my routine eye exam today. I was diag. with "very mild" signs of Macular Degeneration. I am only 48 years old and when the Doc told me this I was so shocked.

My Mom who is 75 was diag a few years back and I knew that I had a chance of getting Macular Degeneration from my family history.

My exam went well, no other problems but the signs of very mild Macular Degeneration and since I have a family history, he placed me on vitamins, a full exam every year and do the grid test once a week for any changes in sight.

My questions...(I was so shocked at the time, I didnt think to ask the doctor and now, hours later, my brain is racing with questions!)

1. is it common for someone 48 years old to have signs of Macular Degeneration?

2. does it always get worse? ...can it stay the same and not ever get worse?

3. I have never smoked, but worked for years around second hand smoke, can that cause MD?

4. Isnt there preventions to help slow it down, other than taking vitamins?What can I do now to help prevent this from getting worse?

Any suggestions that you have is greatly appreciated. I am still in shock and knew I had a good chance of getting MD when I became older, because of Mom ----and her Mom! both having it. But at age 48.....

5. Oh yes! "AMD" does that stand for: "Adult" MD? or "Age-related" MD?

Thank you so much for reading this, hope you can chime in with your thoughts to help me understand more.

Cyn

TopGeek · 09-28-2008, 05:29 AM

Vitamin treatment has been the normal treatment for MD until very recently but there is a new drug called Lucentis that has been approved in the US and Europe in the last few months. As with so many wonder drugs, it is very expensive. It is injected into the eye (sounds horrible but is really not that bad).
Check with your ophthalmologist to see if you are a potential candidate and/or if your insurance will cover it.

KeelaC · 09-30-2008, 05:41 AM

1. is it common for someone 48 years old to have signs of Macular Degeneration?

No. But there is early-onset MD and there are many kinds of MD. We only hear about AMD which means Age-related macular degeneration.

2. does it always get worse? ...can it stay the same and not ever get worse?

It gets worse. You didn't tell us if you have wet or dry MD. There is a big difference. Dry is more common and develops more slowly. It's a thinning of the retina. There is no treatment. Wet causes the growth of new blood vessels. There are treatments to help, but not cure, that variety. It does not cause blindness, peripheral vision will remain.

3. I have never smoked, but worked for years around second hand smoke, can that cause MD?

IMO, no.

4. Isnt there preventions to help slow it down, other than taking vitamins?What can I do now to help prevent this from getting worse?

Make sure the vitamins the doctor gave you are of the Ocuvite type. Look up AREDS, the study that proved progression can be slowed with the proper dosage of certain vitamins. Other than that, stay as healthy as you can. Always wear sunglasses outdoors.

Perhaps there will be a cure in your lifetime. Stem cell research looks promising.

cindylou2 · 09-30-2008, 09:04 PM

Thanks for your reply!!!

Yes, I do have the "dry".....

I talked to my eye doctor a little bit more in detail on Monday, he said it was a very "slight" findings of MD, and gave me the vitamins to take. Said it would progress showly and gave me the Amsler Grid to look over each week.

I am taking my vitamins and learning more and more each day, I thought I was educated on AMD but found out there is so much more to it than I knew.

I agree that 2nd hand smoke probably did not contribute...tHE Doc said at my age, its probably all due to my family history (my Mom and her Mom having AMD)...

I appreciate the wonderful people here for all the help and support! I read some about the stem cell research, that is hopeful!

Thank you!

KeelaC · 10-01-2008, 06:09 AM

If you have to have AMD, the dry variety is better than the wet. Here's hoping you can keep its progression to a minimum.

cindylou2 · 10-01-2008, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KeelaC

If you have to have AMD, the dry variety is better than the wet. Here's hoping you can keep its progression to a minimum.

Hi KeelaC!

yes, I read that and then my eye doctor confirmed it too. That is such good news!!! .....with the dry, there are ways to hopefully keep it from progressing.

There is hope! and I really do want to grow old and see my grand kids, kid's faces!

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