Eye Docs, Wet macular degeneration
 

My father, in his 70's is starting to suffer from wet AMD. Started with his right eye, and seemed to move to his left recently.

He is suffering from compromised visibility. Fairly healthy, overweight but potbelly more than anything. Need high contrast to see anything.

He loves to shoot skeet, race his cars, and I suspect surf porn, but he can't see well enough to do any of those things anymore. I have set up his phone and computer in high visibility so he can at least know who is calling or has emailed him.

Question is, with limited to no knowledge, with wet AMD is there treatment that may reverse his vision loss? His sister did have an issue with it, but passed several years ago.

Worst case, is there a way to find an elderly man drinking group? I know that is another hobby he enjoys. His wife, not so much. He has an awesome neighbor, but he is diabetic, so not a drinking buddy.

I visit when I can, it is only 180 miles, but I5 into seattle, it is a five hour frustrating drive.

Fun bit, a buddy of his from school showed up, and they started talking trash like all my buddies do! Some things never change.

He needs to see an Ophthalmologist and be treated if he’s a candidate. Has he seen one yet? Time wasted can be vision lost and never to return.

I'll add that he should not only see onE but at least two. My mom is losing her eyesight because she took the word of her preferred ophthalmologist that she didn't qualify for a treatment. I kept stressing to her to get a second opinion but she waited too long. My mom has MacTel and the doc said he couldn't do injections early on. The injections won't reverse MacTel but they will help retain vision. My mom saw a doc later on who suggested injections. The problem is, her eyesight had already deteriorated to a point where she's legally blind.

If your dad is losing his sight and you're able to go with him to ophthalmologist, I'd read up as much as possible on his issue and potential treatments then ask the Dr some questions. Don't challenge the dr, just ask questions then ask the same questions when you visit the 2nd doc and see if the two align. Then choose the best path forward based on what the two Docs said.

My wife is going through this with her Mother - her mother is in her early 80's.

We are fortunate that the Wilmer Institute (John's Hopkins) is close. She had her initial eval and then corrective treatment/surgery there, as well as prescriptions for some fairly exotic glasses. I am not exactly sure what wa done.

It is a process that you will need to help with.

I am headed there for cataract surgery on my left eye in a few weeks. I did a local screening with an Ophthalmologist then went to John's Hopkins for the advanced look - which was really interesting.

I have wet AMD..luckily caught early thanks to pool playing. Noticed that I had trouble seeing the contact spot on the object ball, straight lines curving, a blurry orangish spot, the usual symptoms. So, called the opthalmologist for a pronto appointment. He referred me to a retina specialist who began treatment. It involves a shot in the eyeball.
Sounds horrible, doesn't really hurt, they numb you well.

So far, it's my left eye...the shots seem to have halted the advance, but no..not a return to former sight. But the wavy lines and orange spot have vanished. Left eye now 20/45 with glasses, right eye 20-20. Still driving and shooting pool, although shooting pool badly. Recently renewed driver's license, passed the Oregon DMV test with no problems.

Also have cataracts. Opthalmolgist says says not bad enough for surgery yet, tho retina specialist complaining of them making it tougher for him to look at the macula...so probably will be happening before long.

Oh...it's called AGE RELATED Macular Degeneration for a reason. I'm 77..symptoms showed about 4 years ago. Father time is indeed a cruel bastid. The only youngsters in the retina specialist waiting room are the kids or grandkids of the patients...designated drivers for after the treatment.

Give your dad my sympathy. He's joined a club that none of us wanted to belong to.

Thanks for the advice and sympathy.

He is seeing a doc, and getting shots, I guess I was hoping to hear that improvement was possible. He is a snowbird, so he has seen multiple docs.

He has always been of the theory that rubbing some dirt on an injury would take care of it. Got a cut? Rub some dirt on it. Broken bone sticking through the skin? Rub some dirt on it. Hasn't worked this time yet. However, I am sure he is rubbing some dirt in his eyes to be sure.

Sorry..wish I could have been more optimistic about vision improving. Perhaps the saddest thing about the varied physical declines of aging is that life becomes full of things you used to do. :(