People over 50 take note - I just had emergency eye surgery

[ramapo]

82. Save your sight - get an eye exam

I was about 6 months overdue last year for my 'yearly' exam. I am 58now, was 57 at the time. My optometrist noted lipid deposits around my macula. He sent me to a retina specialist who found a bleeding vessel, aka wet macular degeneration. This condition is also age-related although I am on the young side and have none of the usual contributing conditions. I had no symptoms but left untreated I would have lost my central vision.

I had a series of Lucentis injections in the eye, slightly unpleasant but not so bad considering the alternative. This 'dried' up the hemorrhage and seventeen months later my vision remains 20-20 with glasses and all I need to do is monitor my vision and get an exam every three months.

I was lucky as the bleed was off to the side, hence I didn't notice any problem. Moral of the story, get regular eye exams because losing your vision would really suck.