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my eye doctor told me
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The Question

09/10/09 01:26 PM

"my eye doctor told me today that i have cataracts starting and macular degeneration,so how can i slow the progression of both?how long till i go blind"
Asked By: missiehartgrove  
Category: Vision

Background Info Hide
neither was there last year when i went for my annual eye exam.i am i type one brittle diabetic and have had diabetes for 20 years.i have used the pump for 15 yearsi am also a smoker and have found it difficult to quit especially when there are other smokers in the house.i go to see my endo.next week.any advice to help before my appt.would be appreciated.

Expert Answers (1)

09/11/09 07:19 PM

Dear missiehartgrove, Eye disease is very common in diabetes. The good thing about your cataracts is that cataract removal surgery has progressed a lot and can help a lot of people see better. You may need a referral to an opthalmologist so they can follow you and remove them at the right time. As for the macular degeneration, there are two kinds, wet and dry. Each has a little bit different progression and ability to treat. There are speciality hospitals that have done more research in macular degeneration. You may want to ask your doctor if it is worth traveling to one of those clinics. If you have the condition long enough, you are left with a very narrow field of vision and may be technically blind. With both of these problems, I would recommend seeing that eye doctor specialist as soon as you can. The opthalmologist will know the latest effective treatments and hopefully you can be helped or the macular degeneration delayed.
Answered By: Janice Fisher
Accreditations: RD, LD, PHD, CDE, BC-ADM
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Community Answers (1)

09/11/09 08:09 PM

I am diabetic for over 40 yrs & am an eye tech. I was told I had cataracts in my 20's(30 yrs ago). They are only now beginning to change my vision, but for the better for now! The definition of a cataract is any opacity in your natural lens. Now, your glasses have lenses, don't they. If you get a little scratch off to the side of the lens , most of us will put up with a little irritation for a long time. But if the scratch in the lens in in the center of the lens, you will have to do something about it. In other words, having the diagnosis of cataract is mostly just a description of your lens. Only when you start having glare, difficulty driving at night, cloudiness, there are many ways people describe the way cataracts affect their daily lives, do you do something about the cataracts. Now macular degeneration is another problem but not related to your diabetes. Macular degen may cause a little disturbance in your central vision or it can make central vision extremely difficult. Dry or wet has the same effect. But you WILL NOT go "blind". Your peripheral vision will remain fine. In other words, you will have the mobility to walk, play, run. You will not be in total darkness. Reading, recognizing faces or driving will become difficult if you progress to more severe mac degen. You really need to be referred to a retina specialist to be evaluated for the degeneration, and he is also the one you would see if you develop diabetic retinopathy. The good news is there is much that can be done for mac degen to keep vision functional. I get to see that miracle everyday.
Answered By: vivianpi
FLAG
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