Age Related Macular Degeneration

CW4USARET · Nov 27, 2016

Last year my wife was diagnosed with age related macular degeneration. This came about after she had cataract surgery and lense replacement in both eyes. Every thing was ok for a few months but her eyesight was slowly diminishing to a point where she had to change her glasses prescription several times. She finally got to the point where she could no longer drive and the local eye clinic advised that it was all related to the macular degeneration.

We then consulted with our health care provider (a real Rosie O'Donnell and former Army doctor) who got her referred to the Wilmer Eye Institute at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore MD. What a high class operation! We thought it was going to take us months for her to be seen but in fact it we were contacted by a personal concierge (the next day) who would be our initial link and would assist us with lodging in the local area if need be.

The hospital apparently has an agreement with local hotels for reduced rates and in most cases a limo service or taxi vouchers to and from the hospital.

We met with the Doctor associated with macular degeneration and she said that my wife had the dry version of the disease and that she wanted to see her in a month and she thought the reduction in eyesight was due to cells in the eye attaching themselves to the inside of the lens and the cataract specialists had a method using a laser to remove these cells.

A month later we went back and met with the cataract specialists and they performed the laser process called Posterior Capsular Opacification on each eye and as a result my wife now has 20/20 vision in both eyes and her only restriction is that she has to use readers for up close work.

Just some information to put in your hip pocket if you find yourself in a similar situation.

We go back in six months for a checkup. Bills were paid by MEDICARE and Tri-Care For Life.

jrf

JFB · Nov 27, 2016

I started not to open this post as my mother loss her sight to MD.
But glad I did to hear the good outcome.

Salmoneye · Nov 27, 2016

Ayuh...

Happy for your Wife...

I have it, one of my sisters has it, and Mom is 80 and well past 20/400...

Nothing has worked for Mom, and it does not look like my Sister and I will get out of this well...

So it goes...

Pat-inCO · Nov 27, 2016

There is one other thing you can . . . try.
I was diagnosed about seven years ago. The first thing I did was to do
all the research I could on various web sites (Mayo Clinic, Web MD, etc.)
and found a consistency in their recommendations.

1) Fish oil - Omega-3
I use the generic type from Sam's Club. My GP said to start with 1,000
Mg of Omega-3-DHA and EPA, per day. The DHA will be a lower number
than the EPA, but make sure you get 1,000 Mg per day. The one I take
is four tablets per day (two in the morning and two at night).

2) Vitamins A, C, and E
I take the "Neture's Blend" brand and it has 100% (MDR) of A, 333%
of C and 667% of E. I take two per day.

I was sent to a retinal specialist to confirm the AMD diagnosis, he did.

The end of the first year, the eye doctor that did the initial diagnosis was
shocked. He said "WHAT ARE YOU TAKING FOR THAT?! YOUR MD
IS . . . SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED!" I told him and he shook his head
saying "I don't have much confidence in home remedies, but I may have
to change my mind!"

The next year it had improved again and I went to the retinal specialist
again, and he showed me the results as he said "You no longer have
AMD."

Will this combination "cure" everyone? I doubt it, but it sure has made an
IMMENSE difference for me. The cost runs a little over a dollar per day
and that makes me smile A BUNCH. That low a cost is amazing when it
actually does what I need.

YMMV, but it sure works for me. 8)

sncup · Nov 28, 2016

I have recent experience with cataracts and resulting lens replacement. During the initial exam at Gunderson eye clinic they said I should be taking a Vitamin called Areds2 for macular degeneration.

This is what the national institute says about it. https://nei.nih.gov/areds2/PatientFAQ

Researchers with the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) reported in 2001 that a nutritional supplement called the AREDS formulation can reduce the risk of developing advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The original AREDS formulation contains vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, zinc and copper.

In 2006, the same research group, which is based at NIH’s National Eye Institute, began a second study called AREDS2 to determine if they could improve the AREDS formulation. They tested…

Adding the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin
Adding omega-3 fatty acids
Removing beta-carotene
Lowering the dose of zinc

This page provides information about the results and implications of AREDS2. If you are at risk for advanced AMD or have a family member who is at risk, the questions and answers below may help you discuss using AREDS and related nutritional supplements with a health care professional.