Macular degeneration

[Veralisa]

I'd been diagnosed with macular degeneration, dry type, about six or seven years ago. At first I went into a "the sky is falling" mentality, then, as time progressed the panic wore off. Visits to the opthomologist became so routine that I discontinued them. While checking the amsler's grid every day showed no apparent progression, it became almost a dead issue. Till yesterday.

I was up late and trying so hard to do a good job on a photoshop project, when...I realized there was a blind spot right in the center of each eye... and I just couldn't see. I'd try looking up & over, around & under, just couldn't make it. Today it was a little better.

Does anyone out there know what I'm talking about? Any artist who copes with this vision problem? I'd sure like to hear some of your experiences.
Thank you.

[lurch]

My sympathies, Veronica - I'm on the waiting list for cataract surgery, so have some feeling for the vision/photoshop thing. No insight into dealing with macular degeneration, though. Hope someone comes through with info for you.

[Veralisa]

Thanks for sharing your cataract situation Lurch and the

vision/photoshop thing.

I remember my dad had cataract removal and when he died of heart failure I remember my mom saying something like, his eyesight was the only perfect thing that still worked. Good luck to you.

[MiningArt]

Hello Veronica, I was diagnosed with Dry AMD macular degeneration around 1992. It has progressed to the point where I can no longer drive except on the brightest days. I can no longer recognize faces until people are close and I have magnifiers on. Any fine detail is a challenge to see of course. There is no recourse or help other then antioxidants, which is not even that sure or proven, but may slow the effects somewhat. I use a 24 inch flat screen computer monitor with everything magnified. When doing art I just work to what looks good to me, so everything I do is high contrast and bold colors mostly. Done for the enjoyment factor and the opportunity to appreciate the work of other artists. I occasionally have the blind spots in the center as you have described. Mostly when fatigue has set in from working with my eyes to long. Thankfully it is a temporary thing for now.

[Veralisa]

John...that's great to hear, I mean, how you handle this thing. Your work is super, never would guess in a million years what you need to go through to get such fine results. I feel better already! Thank you so much for sharing this with me.