The First Year: Age-Related Macular Degeneration An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed

by Roberts, Daniel L.; Mogk, Lylas G.

• ISBN13: 9781569242865
• ISBN10: 1569242860
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-08-29
• Publisher: Da Capo Lifelong Books

Summary

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive disease of the retina wherein the light-sensing cells in the central area of vision (the macula) stop working and eventually die. AMD is the leading cause of legal blindness in people over 50. From the moment of his own diagnosis, educator and musician Dan Roberts has made it his mission to provide the most up-to-date information about AMD, its effects and challenges, through his website, www.mdsupport.org. Receiving over 60,000 unique visitors monthly, Roberts's site is the go-to for all things AMD. Now, as a "patient-expert," Roberts applies his wealth of knowledge to the First Year ® series, providing crucial information for the newly diagnosed, including cutting edge therapies, and tips on how to navigate everyday tasks with diminishing eyesight. The First Year-Age Related Macular Degeneration is an essential resource for everyone who wants to be an informed, active participant in the management of their condition.

Author Biography

Dan Roberts is a visually-impaired educator and musician who has spent the past twelve years devoted to researching and helping others with Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Roberts is the recipient of the 2004 Distinguished Service Award presented by the American Optometric Association Low Vision Rehabilitation Section. His organization was also awarded the National Eye Institute's 2006 Healthy Vision Community Award for innovative approaches to vision-related health education. He lives in Grandview, Missouri.

Lylas G. Mogk, M.D., is an ophthalmologist, Medical Director of the Henry Ford Health System Visual Rehabilitation and Research Center, in Grosse Pointe and Livonia, Michigan, co-author of Macular Degeneration: The Complete Guide to Saving and Maximizing Your Sight, and Chair of the American Academy of Ophthalmology Vision Rehabilitation Committee.

Table of Contents

Foreword	xiii
Lylas G. Mogk
Introduction	xvii
Day 1
Learning: What Is AMD, and How Did You Get It?	1	(10)
Living: Help Others Understand	11	(8)
Day 2
Learning: How Your Eye Is Built	19	(4)
Living: Diseases of the Retina	23	(2)
Day 3
Learning: Visual Symptoms of AMD	25	(5)
Living: Monitor Your Own Vision	30	(8)
Day 4
Learning: Keeping Your Eyes Healthy	38	(15)
Living: Your Life: Quality vs. Quantity	53	(5)
Day 5
Learning: A Journey through Low Vision Rehabilitation: Jim's Story	58	(15)
Living: Acceptance Doesn't Mean Giving In	73	(3)
Day 6
Learning: The Task of Living with Central Vision Loss	76	(15)
Living: Blessings on My Path: Beverly's Story	91	(4)
Day 7
Learning: Who Are Those People in the White Coats?	95	(6)
Living: Understanding Your Doctor	101	(4)
First-Week Milestone	105	(26)
Week 2
Learning: The War on AMD	107	(6)
Living: Herbal Remedies and Dietary Supplements: Good Alternatives?	113	(4)
Week 3
Learning: Surgical Treatments and Interventions	117	(4)
Living: Alternative Medicine: Interventional Treatment	121	(5)
Week 4
Learning from Living: More Answers to Important Questions	126	(5)
First-Month Milestone	131	(52)
Month 2
Learning from Living: Questions to Ask Your Doctor	133	(10)
Month 3
Learning from Living: Now What?	143	(7)
Month 4
Learning from Living: Driving and AMD	150	(12)
Month 5
Learning from Living: Protect Yourself	162	(5)
Month 6
Learning from Living: Straight Talk about Cope-ability	167	(16)
Half-Year Milestone	183	(114)
Month 7
Learning from Living: The Art and Practice of Eccentric Viewing	185	(16)
Month 8
Learning from Living: Your Success Is Mostly Up to You	201	(7)
Month 9
Learning from Living: Seeing Well with AMD	208	(7)
Month 10
Learning from Living: The End of the War	215	(8)
Month 11
Learning from Living: Your Gift to the Future	223	(3)
Month 12
Learning from Living: Where to Go from Here?	226	(71)
Appendixes
A: Directory of Agencies for the Visually Impaired	237	(31)
B: Financial Assistance for Eye Care	268	(3)
C: Low Vision Devices	271	(7)
D: Large-Print Reading Materials	278	(5)
E: Distributors of Audiobooks	283	(5)
F: Drugs and Supplements with Adverse Effects on Ophthalmic Conditions	288	(9)
Glossary of Terms Related to Retinal Disease	297	(18)
Notes	315	(8)
Acknowledgments	323	(2)
Index	325