The "Do You See What I See?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an article in my AARP Magazine which was titled "Look Out for Yourself!" in bold letters, in about 40 point type.  After reading the title, I usually try to figure out what the article might be about before reading any more of the article.  So...what would be your guess?  My first guess was that the article would be about being bullied.  So, I then read the sub-head that was in about 24 point italic type to see if I might be on the right trail.  The sub-head read...Are you at risk of losing your sight?  Here's a closer look at the real dangers.  The author's name of Jessica Migala followed in regular type.  Well, after the sub-head I knew right away that the story dealt with my eye-sight.

Did you also guess that?  Her first sentence was a great start to her story which read..."If you've been diagnosed with the early stage of an eye disease, count yourself lucky.  Went on to say that there are millions of Americans who might have one of the leading causes of blindness and don't know it, since they don't have a yearly dilated-eye exam which would allow their doctor to catch the disease and begin treatment for it.  The four most common eye diseases that can be treated if caught in time are glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts and Diabetic Retinopathy. (1) Glaucoma can be found in more than 3 million Americans, but only about half that number know they have it.  The disease can damage your optic nerve which collects visual information from the retina and transmits it to the brain.  An eye exam is the best way to detect glaucoma.  So, when should you get an eye exam to see if you have it?  Well, if there is a history of glaucoma in your family, you should be tested in your 30s or perhaps early 40s, but if there is no history of the disease, you should still have your eyes tested once before you reach the age of 50.  If you catch it early you can have it treated without any problems resulting from the disease.  If you don't check to see if you have it, when you do find out you have it you may end up with irreversible blindness.  Don't chance it since it is so easy to diagnose.  Now, the number 1 reason you may have cataracts is age.  When you reach the age of 50 you can usually start to see some changes in the transparency of the lens of your eye if you are getting a cataract.  Driving at night and noticing glare is a signal you may be getting cataracts.  Another sign may be trying to read fine print in the newspaper or on a menu and finding it hard to read.  If a doctor sees a cataract, it may still take 10 to 20 years before you will be bothered enough by it.  Treatment is surgery in which a new lens is inserted into the eye.  I had a cataract that I had removed and replaced with a new lens.  My right eye can see closeup without any trouble and that eye is in good shape.  So, my doctor took out the lens in my left eye and replaced it with a lens that helps me now see distance.  I wore glasses since I was 12 years old and now no longer need glasses since I have one eye for distance and one eye for close-up.  I asked my doctor why he didn't do the surgery years ago and he told me my insurance wouldn't pay for it until my vision became so bad it was blurry.  Not having to wear glasses anymore to see distance is unbelievable.  My only problem is forgetting to take sunglasses with me since my glasses were photo-gray lenses and turned dark when sun struck them.  I'll never complain though!  Age-related macular degeneration also comes with age.  This progressive disease causes damage to the macula, the part of the eye responsible for fine central vision...critical for face recognition, driving or close-up work.  It's the leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 50.  To help stop it you should stop smoking, exercise regularly, control your blood pressure, eat more fish and antioxidant-rich green vegetables, and take the dietary supplement AREDS2 which contains a specific mix of nutrients that have been shown to help.  If you don't treat the problem, you may notice distortion in your vision and straight lines may seem wavy.  My eye doctor has me taking AREDS2 which I take twice a day and buy at my local Walmart.  I can't say I notice a difference since I didn't notice distortion before I began to take them.  The final problem is Diabetic Retinopathy which if you have elevated blood sugar could damage the blood vessels in the retina which could cause leakage of fluid into into eye tissue.  About 40% of people with diabetes have some stage of DR.  DR is the top cause of blindness in working-age adults.  So, it is important to stay up-to-date with testing and keep control of your blood sugar.  Well, I hope I haven't scared you with my story today, but it is important that you take control of your eyesight.  There are a few other body parts that you may somewhat miss if they are no longer working, but your eyesight is one that is hard to lose.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.