View Full Version : Macular Degeneration fear growing.
I rang the hospital this morning as I thought the circle I was seeing in my eye was getting bigger but the guy thought it is probably my anxiety and told me to wait for the letter to come through with the next appointment. I thought my left eye was fine originally but now when I look at the amsler grid with that eye some lines look funny with that eye as well, not as much as the right.
I am really worried, I can't really talk to my parents anymore and I am just concerned the more that I leave this the more I am going to go blind.
I can undrstand how anxious you must be feeling about this. I too have that same fear about losing my sight. I am almost certain that your doctors wouldn't have you waiting that time if they thought you were going to lose your sight whilst waiting for an appointment :)
He did say it could be AMD but nothing has been said from what he can see yet.
I just don't know what to do anymore. Now that lines are appearing wavy in my left eye I am seriously worried.
I am stressing my parents out and they don't know what to do and I feel as if I can't do anything. It's awful.
So it is just a 'could' at the moment. I'm sure your parents understand that this is a very frightening time for you. When is your next appointment?
So it is just a 'could' at the moment. I'm sure your parents understand that this is a very frightening time for you. When is your next appointment?
3 - 4 weeks. They do but they think I am over reacting. It's more that amsler grid test that has gave me all this fear as it's the main test for Macular Degeneration. I just wish there was other stuff listed on that grid than just Macular Degeneration.
I am sorry you're going through this scare too, I know it's awful.
Pinkharts9
28-10-15, 21:44
Matt, I'm here for you. Please keep us updated on what's going on with you. I know how awful these vision fears can be. Is there any way to move up your next appointment? :hugs:
I don't think so. I rang the hospital today as I was concerned the shadow type thing I see had gotten bigger. Think that is my anxiety but what has really set me off tonight is my left eye and lines being distorted in that eye too.
I am just really worried if my eyes go worse while I am waiting.
Could you not go back to your optometrist and see what they say or go to a different one. They are trained to identify these illnesses.
Could you not go back to your optometrist and see what they say or go to a different one. They are trained to identify these illnesses.
He was really good, he was the person who sent me to the hospital. I have already been to the hospital and all i can do is wait for my next appointment there now.
It's just the eye doctor wasn't very nice to me as I saw him with a similar issue in 2012 with my left eye and he put that down to my anxiety. When he saw I was back but this time with my right eye he was a bit of a jerk to me. Then when he looked at my eye he could see a lot of scarring in both eyes and told me it's to do with aging. He just told me to keep an eye on it until he asked me if it effected my vision and I told him it did so he sent me to have a picture taken. After having the picture taken he said he would need to send me for tests.
The picture, this is where we can see something black in the middle or at the back where the macula is. I first asked if it was a tumor and he said "did I say it was a tumor? You will believe what you want to believe." All though it made me feel worse he was right about that. That's when I went home and googled my symptoms and that's where Macular Degeneration came from, when I saw the amsler grid, the same grid my optician made me do. Then the symptoms seem a lot like what I have.
Since Friday I have just been in a panic and even more today now that I feel I am having some issues with my left eye on that grid. Everything is going through my mind. I think I have had this issue with my eye for along time but your brain just ignores it and because of what he told me in 2012 I wasn't worried until now.
What type of distortion do you see on the amsler grid? I've just looked at it and the some of the lines look diagonal instead of straight (freaked me out immensely). But I've had dilation tests and an OCT of macula and everything was fine. I've looked through this site about vision problems (I do that a lot). There was someone on here who had similar symptoms to you. They didn't have macular degeneration, but a less serious problem with their retina. If you type into Google.... macular degeneration no more panic, it brings up threads people have written.
Kerri
What type of distortion do you see on the amsler grid? I've just looked at it and the some of the lines look diagonal instead of straight (freaked me out immensely). But I've had dilation tests and an OCT of macula and everything was fine. I've looked through this site about vision problems (I do that a lot). There was someone on here who had similar symptoms to you. They didn't have macular degeneration, but a less serious problem with their retina. If you type into Google.... macular degeneration no more panic, it brings up threads people have written.
Kerri
I hate that grid, I can't even look at it anymore without freaking out. In my right eye nothing looks straight. The lines look wavy and some area just looks white but that part might be my anxiety with the blank parts, left eye the lines just don't look straight.
I am just trying to stop looking so much now as I think I will drive myself crazy. I rang the hospital today to see if I should be worried now that I see some distortion in my left eye. They are going to ring me back later hopefully with the appointment as I still haven't received it in the mail yet.
Depending on where I blink, the circle in my right eye can either look huge or small in some areas. Like in the car looking at my dark mat before it looked huge. Sat in my room now it looks small.
Surely the circle would get bigger and stay like that. Yeah I'm gonna try not look at it anymore. If it's any consolation, I asked my sister to look at it. She doesn't wear glasses and is 20. She said some of the lines looked wavy to her. You're only supposed to look at it for 10 seconds.
Kerri
Surely the circle would get bigger and stay like that. Yeah I'm gonna try not look at it anymore. If it's any consolation, I asked my sister to look at it. She doesn't wear glasses and is 20. She said some of the lines looked wavy to her. You're only supposed to look at it for 10 seconds.
Kerri
Yeah left eye is fine at first. In my right eye I see wavy lines right away as if they are moving. In the dark I tried looking at a calendar and with that eye just couldn't make anything out. It's if my center vision just looks white in the dark like in the car earlier and it's stopping things appearing.
Hospital not rang me yet or they might not even get back to me tonight :(
I just thought I'd update my own thread, spoke to the hospital today. They still haven't made my appointment but the nice lady I spoke to knows how worried I am and because I'm really worried about losing my sight she has given me an appointment for this Monday coming.
I managed to get a different eye doctor now so hopefully I can raise my concerns with them.
I was just wondering how old you are Matt as Macular degeneration is more common in the elderly, rare for a younger person to have it. My dad has it and he is 85.
I was just wondering how old you are Matt as Macular degeneration is more common in the elderly, rare for a younger person to have it. My dad has it and he is 85.
I am 27 and I know but sadly young people can still get it. I am sorry about your dad.
I am having issues with my right eye and my vision isn't great in that eye, I see this blob that has like a light bulb inside it. My eye doctor was concerned as in the picture you can see the black in the back of my eye that must be causing the issues, he just said he would have to send me for further tests. I feel as if I need to have a light on in the dark to see better with that eye and it's like the center part of my vision to why I am really worried if it's this disease.
Pinkharts9
30-10-15, 18:21
Matt, I'm glad they made you an appt. for Monday. Please keep in mind that whatever is going on with you, it doesn't have to be the worst case scenario. The doctor saw "something" but he didn't say what. There are a lot of things that it could be.
Please keep us updated.
Matt, I'm glad they made you an appt. for Monday. Please keep in mind that whatever is going on with you, it doesn't have to be the worst case scenario. The doctor saw "something" but he didn't say what. There are a lot of things that it could be.
Please keep us updated.
Thanks, I try not to think the worst. One minute I feel alright and then it comes on again. I looked at a sign in the gym sauna today and some of the words just disappeared into this white blob and then it triggers me off again. Same just now looking at my jacket and see a dis color like a stain but it's my eye or my anxiety making everything worse.
Just trying to tell myself I can do all the worrying in the world and nothing will change as to what's going on.
Hopefully You will find out more on Monday but what you are describing doesn't sound like the same symptoms my dad has with macular degeneration.
My late father had macular degeneration and I agree with Annie on this one
Hiya Matt,
Hope you're doing OK. I just wanted to say that the mind can be a very powerful thing. Since I looked at that amsler grid I feel like I've been getting more after images and dark circles. If we think we have something it's almost like we become hyperaware of our vision.
Kerri
I respectfully think that you should avoid looking at that amsler grid-it's causing a whole lot of anguish and can only make things worse for you.
Thanks everyone, I really appreciate it. Yeah Pulisa I have stopped going on it now since Wednesday night as was making me a lot worse. I was just worried because the optician made me do that test and read it's the main test to detect that. That and there is defiantly a distortion in that eye.
I always feel worse in the morning as woke up and it always looks bigger, even get a little flash with it now that I am picking up on it more. I have had this along time I think but only worried about it more when i realized it was affecting my vision. I just can't see well in the dark without a light source for that eye or can't make anything out from far away.
I think the worst part is my anxiety atm.
The worst part is not knowing and just speculating, isn't it?
My advice would be let the experts diagnose the problem, if there is one..I would think it extremely unlikely that you have macular degeneration at such a young age.
Having said this I do appreciate your overwhelming anxiety and it's going to seem a long wait until your appointment. Just don't look at that grid though!!
The worst part is not knowing and just speculating, isn't it?
My advice would be let the experts diagnose the problem, if there is one..I would think it extremely unlikely that you have macular degeneration at such a young age.
Having said this I do appreciate your overwhelming anxiety and it's going to seem a long wait until your appointment. Just don't look at that grid though!!
It really is and I wont, it's just the circle looks bigger and it's defiantly the center part of my vision. Just makes me feel awful. It's so hard to try and forget about it or even just trying to distract myself.
I have been to the hospital this morning, they think a virus got into my eyes a few months back and it has scared my central vision in my right eye, he used the word inflammation as opposed to disease.
He took me to his computer and showed me my eye, he showed me a line from my macular to how I see and that the line should be straight but it isn't so this will be all the issues I am having with that eye. Not sure if it is Macular Degeneration, he doesn't think it will get worse but said I would need to monitor it. That's the worse part for me because of my anxiety. He also told me to use the amsler grid to monitor this :(
I should be getting a follow up now he said in 4 - 6 weeks.
If it is caused by inflammation from a virus then it really doesn't sound like macular degeneration especially at your age. It is good that they are monitoring though. I have an eye condition and have it monitored every year and it has never got worse but it is good to know they are keeping an eye (excuse the pun) on it :)
If it is caused by inflammation from a virus then it really doesn't sound like macular degeneration especially at your age. It is good that they are monitoring though. I have an eye condition and have it monitored every year and it has never got worse but it is good to know they are keeping an eye (excuse the pun) on it :)
Yeah he took a while to answer when I asked him if it was a disease but he just said "I wouldn't call it a disease for now, but more of an inflammation."
Just annoying my vision wont probably be ever perfect in my right eye now as that was always my perfect eye. Glad they are monitoring yours and yeah just really hope it doesn't get worse or something happens again.
Make sure you chase up follow up appt in my experience with eye hospitals (worked in optics for 17 years) they do needc
chasing up. Amsler grid is a good thing to use note down what you see daily to monitor differences. Make sure ophthalmologists explain it fully to you until you are happy you know what's what. Sorry the reply but disjointed using my phone! Wish you best of luck keep us up to date
Pinkharts9
02-11-15, 15:09
Hi Matt. Did they tell you what kind of virus they think you had? I'm just curious because it's possible once the inflammation goes down, your vision may improve. Did they give you any further information at this time? Or they just asked you to come back in 4-6 weeks?
It's good news that it's not MD, though! :)
Hi Matt. Did they tell you what kind of virus they think you had? I'm just curious because it's possible once the inflammation goes down, your vision may improve. Did they give you any further information at this time? Or they just asked you to come back in 4-6 weeks?
It's good news that it's not MD, though! :)
I don't think the doctor was to sure, not actually sure what caused it to happen. The other doctor before that one who wasn't great but he did mention a lot about aging, he didn't go into too much detail like the doctor I seen today did.
I think the inflammation is gone but it did happen and it left a few scars behind with it. A scar is like what you get on your body, it doesn't go away so don't think this will but just hope it doesn't come back and do anything worse to my vision. The eye Dr did say he think this happened months ago. I did know I had this shadow type thing when I blinked but just linked it to my anxiety at the time as had something similar to my left eye in 2012 it just didn't effect my vision until I saw the optician back in September.
I am still not ruling out MD just yet till I have more tests.
blondielady
04-11-15, 04:27
My eye developed a shadow in it suddenly one day... I saw sparkles and flashes and then bam... shadow. Had every test the eye doctor offered. He said whatever caused it probably had something to do with blood flow behind my eye getting altered. What caused it, I still don't know, but its actually dramatically improved over the last 5 months. Doesn't stop me from panicking about it though... that's just kind of part of what I am like :(.
I will say this... my mom has macular degeneration that she started developing maybe 8 or so years ago and she is now 74. They have treatments now for it that have gotten so advanced that she hasn't gotten much worse at all and in fact has been somewhat improving lately. When she was diagnosed she was like well, I'm going to go blind... lots of anguish.... but it didn't turn out anything like what she thought would happen to her. Medical technology continues to improve!
BTW, I don't think your symptoms sound like what my mom described when she started having issues. They actually sound kind of like same issues as me, which doctors are leaning towards migraine issues (and yes I've had migraines since early 20s).
My eye developed a shadow in it suddenly one day... I saw sparkles and flashes and then bam... shadow. Had every test the eye doctor offered. He said whatever caused it probably had something to do with blood flow behind my eye getting altered. What caused it, I still don't know, but its actually dramatically improved over the last 5 months. Doesn't stop me from panicking about it though... that's just kind of part of what I am like :(.
I will say this... my mom has macular degeneration that she started developing maybe 8 or so years ago and she is now 74. They have treatments now for it that have gotten so advanced that she hasn't gotten much worse at all and in fact has been somewhat improving lately. When she was diagnosed she was like well, I'm going to go blind... lots of anguish.... but it didn't turn out anything like what she thought would happen to her. Medical technology continues to improve!
BTW, I don't think your symptoms sound like what my mom described when she started having issues. They actually sound kind of like same issues as me, which doctors are leaning towards migraine issues (and yes I've had migraines since early 20s).
Hey Blondielady, does it cause you any issues with your vision? That's what I don't like as when I am not in a well lit room, if I cover my left eye or am looking from a far away distance it's like writing disappears and just can't make it out. That's my main fear that I am still thinking it could be Macular Degeneration.
I don't get migraines. I do get bad headaches sometimes and feel it could be connected to my eyes. I do see these little white spots, more as of late since I been the hospital (they are not floaters but I do have them and are different to these). They are more just little lines moving all around and see them more when I look at the sky. I usually see them when I am stressed or not well. If I sneeze or cough sometimes I can see them all over and they then look black but disappear again after a few seconds.
I really appreciate your post and to everyone here that has been very supportive.
I am back, had my appointment today and I have to have further tests. The next test is an eye Angiogram. This is a dye they inject into you so they can look at the blood vessels I believe. I had to google it more to learn more about it.
I got asked some questions and told her that it is all very related to macular degeneration.
I was in and out so quickly that I didn't really get to talk over all my concerns. I did ask her if she thought it was macular degeneration and she thinks I am too young to have that but something has happened to my macular and they want to find out what has caused this to happen at my age. That and they need to see if it needs to be treated or if they can.
She then asked how do I feel about driving and I said ok, she just said I was my own judge for driving right now.
I feel a bit better, still have my worries. Not ruling out macular just yet till have this test done, only because all the issues I am having are that of that disease. Hopefully they might be able to find out what caused this once I have this test done. I don't think she wants to say what it is even if it that till we know for definite.
I told her my main worry is losing my sight which she can understand, just no one really can give you that peace of mind that you wont.
Matt, it may be worthwhile talking over your concerns with the Macular Society helpline. They have a lot of knowledge about MD and could maybe give you some guidance?
Matt, it may be worthwhile talking over your concerns with the Macular Society helpline. They have a lot of knowledge about MD and could maybe give you some guidance?
Thanks Pulisa, I think I will just wait and let the experts find out what's wrong first. All though I think I have it, no one has told me that's what I have so will just wait now for these next tests and go from there.
I have looked at that helpline but just a costly line I think and probably better to find out if it is that for sure first.
I wasn't suggesting that you had MD, more that you could talk over any worries but what you have decided sounds very sensible.
I wasn't suggesting that you had MD, more that you could talk over any worries but what you have decided sounds very sensible.
No I know what you meant and thanks for the help.
Update
I been the hospital today after having all my tests, I managed to get in sooner as noticing changes in left eye but thankfully no vision affected for now.
Anyway I saw the consultant and she doesn't know for sure what it is right now. I am being monitored by the hospital to see if it gets worse and go back in about 3 months. I have to use the amsler grid every other day to monitor any changes.
I only recently found out my granddad had macular degeneration. I didn't know him really but when hospital asked if anyone suffered any eye issues in the family we said no because we didn't know for certain and that only came to light around christmas when I found that out from my auntie.
The consultant just asked if I was a sun worshiper which I am not but maybe a laser or the sun has damaged my eye.
After christmas I learned of something called central serous retinopathy which is to do with a personality disorder and linked to high levels of stress with all the exact symptoms I have. It's not great but it's not as bad as disease such as macular degeneration. I asked her if it could be that and at first she said no because I have some issues with left eye but then she said it could be but for right now she couldn't tell for sure.
I saw a picture from an OCT scan online and it looked exactly like what I saw on the screen at the hospital today. I am not wishing anything on myself but I could accept this a lot more than anything else if it was.
But that's my update for now, I really wish I had a diagnosis but I don't, at least I am being monitored by the hospital though.
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