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The examination is over. The test results are in. Your eye care
specialist has arrived at a conclusion and is prepared to give you a
diagnosis. Maybe it's advanced glaucoma, or macular degeneration. The specific condition is probably less
important to you at this moment than the effect it is having—or
soon will have—on your life.
Bottom line: Your vision is in steady decline and neither therapy nor
corrective lenses will help.
As anyone who has been through this experience will tell you, there is
no such thing as being "prepared" for this kind of news.
Yes, professional support is available and far more accessible than most
people realize. And yes, there are adaptive
techniques and remarkable,
ever-advancing technologies to help you continue your daily
activities and responsibilities
as effectively as ever.
But it may be impossible to consider your options. Right now, your
focus is probably on what you imagine you stand to lose along with
your vision. For example:
- Loss of Independence: "I won't be able to do even the most
basic things without assistance, like prepare meals, clean my home,
or manage neighborhood errands. I'll be an impossible burden to
my family and friends."
- Loss of Confidence and Self-Worth: "All my life I've been
athletic and physically active. I've always been handy, doing
most of my own home repairs. That's all over."
- Loss of Privacy: "I'll no longer be able to handle my
finances and other private matters alone. I'll have to
surrender control of my life to someone else."
- Loss of Employment: "I'll have to quit my job."
- Loss of Friends and Family: "Who wants to be around me when I
can't do anything anymore?"
Sound familiar? These anxieties are common to all of us as we approach
our advanced years. It's important to acknowledge them, as
they're perfectly normal and are to be expected. However, it's
even more important to move beyond them and reclaim your life.
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Understanding my diagnosis helped me take control of my vision loss.
