So interested in your eye problems, Daisy. On my last visit to eye doctor, he said I'd need eye surgery and suggested several doctors. Will have to schedule cataract surgery soon.

Glad it all turned out OK.

Jan, If I hadn't been an optometrist I think I'd surely have been blind by now. I have had cataracts, acute bilateral iritis caused by my autoimmune disease, dry eyes (probable Sjogren's - another autoimmune disease), intermittent angle closure glaucoma, and now age related macular degeneration. It's a wonder that I still can see almost 20/20 with glasses. If I didn't know what I know about eye disease and eye symptoms, I'd surely have lost vision. My brother, maternal aunt, and father's first cousin all lost central vision due to AMD. None of them took the lutein supplements, or at least not early enough with regard to my aunt. My father had both cataracts, glaucoma and a retinal detachment. Everyone gets cataracts if they live long enough, but my father's glaucoma was post surgical. I begged him not to have eye surgery on a Friday when I would be in another state taking board exams. He didn't listen. The evening of my Satuday board exam he called my hotel room, complaining of the worst headache he'd ever had in his life, and his surgeon had left on vacation. I told him to grab a nurse snd insist on having his eye pressure checked. Over 20 is abnormal. His was 60. He was a heart patient and they nearly killed him getting the pressures down. He was left with a glaucomatous field defect in that eye. One or two years later it was that same eye that suffered a retinal detachment. I was visiting Dad and listened to his symptoms. It had to be a retinal detachment, so I told him to get immediately to an ophthalmologist. He did, but that doc did not, for some reason, see the detachment. Meanwhile, I had gone home, 50 miles away and assumed the doc had caught it and repaired it. A day later, Dad called me and said, "The doc didn't see anything, but the curtain is still coming down, and it's now almost to the center of my vision." I said "Holy cow. Let me find you a proper doc." So I called my former supervisor, the acting Director of the National Eye Institute. I said to him, "I think my dad has a retinal detachment, but I haven't lived in Montgomery County for over a decade. Who there is good for retinal detachments?" He said, "No one. Get him up to Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute." I called them, and explained. They had a bed waiting and surgery scheduled by the time I got him there. They managed to save most of his vision in that eye, despite the other doc's total failure.

One of my first cousins, far away in Kansas, lost his corneas due to the dry eyes of Sjogrens syndrome, even after two sets of corneal transplants.

So everyone, make sure you have your yearly eye exams. More often if needed. I am living proof that blindness can be prevented. And also realize that there are good docs and bad, so never hesitate to get a second opinion.

Daisy,
So glad you didn't have the shot you were so dreading.
Can you tell me more about the monitoring scope?I have never heard of it.How does it work?
I have early AMD in both eyes.
My father had wet AMD,my mother lost her sight in her left eye from ocular hypertension 3 years ago,and now has early AMD in the other eye.
I am taking AREDS2 eye supplement as is she.

Sorry for continuing to be off topic.

Derylin - there is no "off topic" on "Mindless Chatter". No apology is necessary.
Daisy, although my Dad sailed right through getting those injections, I do believe he was unusually fearless. I don't blame you for being apprehensive, and I'm glad you don't need them after all.

Derylin, You should definitely get this scope, as well as an ophthalmologist who specializes only on retinal problems. Medicare will cover the scope because it has been proven to be effective in catching wet AMD changes early enough for the doc to be able to take action to preserve vision.
It is called the Foresee Home device, and your doctor can write the script for it and have it mailed to you within days. Even before you receive it a technician from the company will call or email you and set up an appointment for a phone call to walk you through the use of it once it arrives. If you do not have wifi in your home, they will send you one with a modem. I already had password protected wifi in my home, and getting the device connected to your home wifi is just like connecting any other device to your home wifi. You just need to know the name of your home's wifi, select that on the list, and then key in your wifi password. I had to key it in a few times, but it finally connected. I had it connected according to directions sent with the device, even before the tech called for the televisit teaching appointment. If they send you one with its own modem it may be even easier.

Medicare will pay, I believe, 80% for this device, but if you have a good medicare supplement, as I do, you may not have to pay a single penny. If you are unfortunate enough to have a Medicare Advantage plan, you may have to do it out of your own pocket, but it's better than going suddenly blind, which wet AMD can do.

Watch this excellent youtube video, which tells about the ForeseeHome device.

https://youtu.be/1stn5PkN5U8?s... .

I do two things first thing in the morning:
1. Take my morning medications
2. Go to my table where I have the scope plugged in, and use the scope. It just takes about 6 minutes.

Thanks so much ,Daisy,for the information.Fortunately, I do have WiFi and a good Medicare Supplement.

Daisy ~ Why does this device require wi-fi? Does it transmit info to your doctor's office?

Yes, Evelyn, it does. The info gets sent to a monitoring station where it's analyzed for changes from the baseline you establish in the first week. If changes are seen that might indicate beginning conversion from dry AMD to wet AMD, they notify your doc immediately, and he calls you and gets you into the office immediately so treatment can begin.

Daisy, I'm glad that your eye is Ok without requiring a needle. I would be nervous too. Thankyou so much for the extra information about eye care

I haven't been on this thread for a while.... all I can say is wow.

I'm so glad that you didn't need to get a scary injection, Daisy, and that you are managing to preserve your vision.

My problems aren't anywhere as drastic (just developing cataracts which will have to be addressed in a year or so, but I want my knees done first).

But the latest reading glasses are actually just a bit worse than the previous prescription, so when I called the office manager to ask where were my new sunglasses (there was a screwup there and they had to send it out again), I mentioned the problem (thinking maybe it was another screwup in manufacturing the glasses).

I was told no, they checked the prescription (in the glasses themselves) before giving them to me, and they told me that I really should be seen by one of their optometrists. The problem though is that MY doc (who is ex-military and really really good), is (to my dismay) just about ready to retire, so I was told that he hardly comes in now. The office manager assured me that the other doc, who has been with this small clinic for a while, is also good, and that she is available Wednesday afternoon and to come in so they can figure out the problem.

I'm not at all happy at the change in docs, worried about my vision, and am hoping it was just a prescription screw-up somehow (maybe in how the exam was done?) and that I won't need surgery before a year from now, because too many things are going on. I have to travel in early April, have to get two knee replacements (the first now scheduled for April 26), have to get various screening exams... also have to get my kitchen garden in before the knee surgery. Ain't nobody got time to deal with cataract surgery right now.

Sorry you are having problems with your vision, Marilyn, to add to your other woes.
The positive aspect, though, is that cataract surgery is usually very successful. My SIL just had one eye done two weeks ago and is having the other one done this Wednesday. She is very happy with the results of the first surgery.

Yes, cataract surgery is usually very successful. Just don't let them schedule it for a Friday. That was my father's huge mistake. Make sure that they schedule it early in the week so that any postoperative problems can be dealt with promptly before a weekend arrives. In fact that should be true of ANY surgery!

Great.... My first knee replacement surgery is on a Friday. (My surgeon only operates on Tuesdays and Fridays.)

But he has backup staff (to call in case of problems), and I'll be in the hospital at least overnight.

My DH is getting a procedure done on Friday - it is scheduled that way because his Dr. IS the weekend on call Dr. for the following weekend. I hope DH doesn't need to contact him for any reason, though!

Diana, I'm sending my best wishes and prayers to Don and you for great results!

Diana,I hope the procedure goes well for Don.Prayers sent his way.

Prayers for you and Don, Daisy.

Diana ~ May the best possible outcome occur for Don and you.