Case study ( 13084 views as of December 13, 2024 )
Betty, a 75-year-old female, presents with sudden onset of central vision loss in her right eye. She has had ‘perfect’ vision since her cataract surgery 15 years ago. The vision loss has affected her ability to thread needles and read small print. Her sister, a heavy smoker, lost vision in her late 60s due to age-related macular degeneration. When she covers her good eye she cannot see the face of someone in front of her. The entire central vision is a grey-blank. Her peripheral vision, however, is entirely unaffected. She worries that she will go completely blind and lose her ability to live independently.
Betty is referred to a retina specialist, who diagnoses her with wet age-related macular degeneration. Injection treatments are recommended. These are administered on a monthly basis and allow for a significant improvement in acuity.
Working with her comprehensive ophthalmologist and occupational therapist, Betty begins using magnifiers and new software on her computer to allow her to sew and read more easily. She still has some persistent vision loss, but is able to continue doing the many detailed visual tasks that were not possible at the time of her initial vision loss.
Author: Dr. David Maberley
Conversation based on: Age-Related Macular Degeneration? " Betty a 75-year-old female with sudden onset of central vision loss in her right eye "
Age-Related Macular Degeneration? " Betty a 75-year-old female with sudden onset of central vision loss in her right eye "