Macular Degeneration
by Kam Pearson
(Sheffield, AL, USA)
I always knew that my grandmother had bad eyesight. Ever since I was a very little girl, I can remember her thick eyeglasses on a shiny gold chain around her neck.
She hardly ever wore them, but she didn’t seem to have any problems. Then as I got older, I started noticing that she seemed to be having some problems.
She couldn’t read her recipe books anymore, and she seemed to have lost interest in playing her piano.
Thereafter, I began hearing the words Macular Degeneration. I didn’t really know what it meant, but my grandmother was a tough woman, and I knew that.
When I got a little older I started driving her to doctor's appointments, because she couldn’t see well enough to drive anymore.
It was at one of these doctor visits that I realized exactly what the condition was.
My grandmother handled the disease extremely well, even when she could barely see anymore, she was always a very independent and happy woman.
This condition is heartbreaking though. New breakthroughs are coming through everyday though, and I am grateful for that, because now my husband's grandmother has Macular Degeneration.
Now, since I know what it is all about and can help with my experience. She has recently had laser surgery to correct a multitude of problems and I am very happy to say that she is doing well and her deterioration has slowed to an almost non-existent rate.
Hopefully these new technologies will help her as well as many other people suffering from Macular Degeneration in the future.
I believe, with further advancements they will find a cure!
