[jennyjuniper]

Just recently I found out that I have AMD, which is a degenerative eye disease. There are two kinds, wet and dry and just to be an awkward b..... I have dry in one eye and wet in the other.
The dry type cannot be treated, although the eyesight decreases very slowly. However the hospital has offered me treatment in the 'wet' eye. This involves medication being injected into the eyeball, three times at six week intervals. There is no guarentee it will have any effect and I admit that the thought of a needle (no matter how fine) being put into my eyeball horrifies me.
What I would like to ask is if any of you know someone who has had this proceedure, or if you have had this treatment yourselves. If so, how did it go?
I have a short while before I have to let the hospital know whether I want to go ahead or not.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by jennyjuniper

Just recently I found out that I have AMD, which is a degenerative eye disease. There are two kinds, wet and dry and just to be an awkward b..... I have dry in one eye and wet in the other.
The dry type cannot be treated, although the eyesight decreases very slowly. However the hospital has offered me treatment in the 'wet' eye. This involves medication being injected into the eyeball, three times at six week intervals. There is no guarentee it will have any effect and I admit that the thought of a needle (no matter how fine) being put into my eyeball horrifies me.
What I would like to ask is if any of you know someone who has had this proceedure, or if you have had this treatment yourselves. If so, how did it go?
I have a short while before I have to let the hospital know whether I want to go ahead or not.

...Jenny.....all I can say Jenny is that my father in law had macular degeneration..as did his mum, it's a hereditary thing...he had injections and was able to have some (limited) vision for many years, they did slow it down quite a bit...obviously he couldn't drive and stuff like that, he was restricted in what he was able to do but he had vision....

[kirklancaster]

I am so very, very, sorry to hear this Jenny. I do not know anyone who has this or indeed knew much about it other than what I have Googled since first reading your sad post.

All I can say Jenny, is that I would undergo any procedure which MAY be beneficial love, rather than do nothing then regret that decision later on.

Please trust in these medical professionals and have this done Jenny. I understand your fear of needles in the eye, and that there are no guarantees, but you will be OK Jenny, and I'm sure that they HAVE to tell potential patients this disclaimer because there is a chance such treatment (like virtually ALL treatments) may NOT work, but I am also sure that the reality is, that there is a GREAT chance of 100% success.

It is YOUR decision love, but please think carefully about the DEFINITE consequences of NOT having this procedure done.

Go for it Jenny love - please.

In the meantime, I will pray for you.

[Northern Monkey]

I do know somebody who's had the injection in the eye and it apparently is nowhere near as bad as it sounds and is over very quickly.

[jennyjuniper]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...Jenny.....all I can say Jenny is that my father in law had macular degeneration..as did his mum, it's a hereditary thing...he had injections and was able to have some (limited) vision for many years, they did slow it down quite a bit...obviously he couldn't drive and stuff like that, he was restricted in what he was able to do but he had vision....

Thanks for your advice Ammi, always appreciated. I'll think about it some more, but I probably will have the injections. After all, limited vision is better than no vision.

[jennyjuniper]

Originally Posted by kirklancaster

I am so very, very, sorry to hear this Jenny. I do not know anyone who has this or indeed knew much about it other than what I have Googled since first reading your sad post.

All I can say Jenny, is that I would undergo any procedure which MAY be beneficial love, rather than do nothing then regret that decision later on.

Please trust in these medical professionals and have this done Jenny. I understand your fear of needles in the eye, and that there are no guarantees, but you will be OK Jenny, and I'm sure that they HAVE to tell potential patients this disclaimer because there is a chance such treatment (like virtually ALL treatments) may NOT work, but I am also sure that the reality is, that there is a GREAT chance of 100% success.

It is YOUR decision love, but please think carefully about the DEFINITE consequences of NOT having this procedure done.

Go for it Jenny love - please.

In the meantime, I will pray for you.

Thanks Kirk, for all your kind words. As I've just written to Ammi, I probabkly will have it done. Better to do something than nothing after all. I suppose I was just looking for re-assurance and confirmation that I should DO something.
I'll keep you posted.

[jennyjuniper]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

I do know somebody who's had the injection in the eye and it apparently is nowhere near as bad as it sounds and is over very quickly.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, from what I've read it does seem to be over with quite quickly. Maybe I can get a hit of valium or something from my doctor before the proceedure. I did that once before when I had to fly (I'm terrified of flying) He only gave me two pills, but they were marvellous and helped a lot.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by jennyjuniper

Thanks for your advice Ammi, always appreciated. I'll think about it some more, but I probably will have the injections. After all, limited vision is better than no vision.

...and you can still see colours/shapes etc, Jenny...it's like a tunnel, isn't it..?...it's sadly one of those things that can only be slowed down in it's progression and I think you'll never regret having injections to do that but you may have regrets if you don't have them..?...


...I recall one of the things (because you sometimes have to find humour in living with these things and adjusting..)...was that we separated his food on his plate so that he could define what he was eating by colour...anyways, I can't recall what he thought it was/cauliflower maybe but it was actually mustard...the really hot English stuff and he took and swallowed a whole forkful....and then watching his face when he pretended all was very normal and trying not to draw attention to it......

[Ammi]

...it's an excuse to treat yourself to a huge screen TV as well, Arista would approve...

[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...and you can still see colours/shapes etc, Jenny...it's like a tunnel, isn't it..?...it's sadly one of those things that can only be slowed down in it's progression and I think you'll never regret having injections to do that but you may have regrets if you don't have them..?...


...I recall one of the things (because you sometimes have to find humour in living with these things and adjusting..)...was that we separated his food on his plate so that he could define what he was eating by colour...anyways, I can't recall what he thought it was/cauliflower maybe but it was actually mustard...the really hot English stuff and he took and swallowed a whole forkful....and then watching his face when he pretended all was very normal and trying not to draw attention to it......

I TOLD you that you were "such a scamp"

[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by jennyjuniper

Thanks Kirk, for all your kind words. As I've just written to Ammi, I probabkly will have it done. Better to do something than nothing after all. I suppose I was just looking for re-assurance and confirmation that I should DO something.
I'll keep you posted.

That's great news Jenny. Please DO keep us all posted.

[Northern Monkey]

Originally Posted by jennyjuniper

Thanks for your reply. Yes, from what I've read it does seem to be over with quite quickly. Maybe I can get a hit of valium or something from my doctor before the proceedure. I did that once before when I had to fly (I'm terrified of flying) He only gave me two pills, but they were marvellous and helped a lot.

Yes i think the beforehand worry is the worst part of it from what i hear.The actual injection is over before you know it.

[Cherie]

Sorry to hear that Jenny, if it were me I would go for it, my Mum had her cateracts done and you are awake for that and she said it was painless, be brave Jenny and have it done as it might be successful and you might regret it down the line if you don't. I'm sure there is someone on here who has eye injections possibly not for the same condition though.

[caprimint]

Sorry to hear this I have no experience of anything to do with this, but just thought I'd add my opinion here...if I were in your position then I would go for it. The thought of a needle in an eyeball makes me cringe too, but if there is at least a chance of having some effect then I really think it's worth going through with it.

Hope everything goes well for you with whatever you decide to do.

[jennyjuniper]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...and you can still see colours/shapes etc, Jenny...it's like a tunnel, isn't it..?...it's sadly one of those things that can only be slowed down in it's progression and I think you'll never regret having injections to do that but you may have regrets if you don't have them..?...


...I recall one of the things (because you sometimes have to find humour in living with these things and adjusting..)...was that we separated his food on his plate so that he could define what he was eating by colour...anyways, I can't recall what he thought it was/cauliflower maybe but it was actually mustard...the really hot English stuff and he took and swallowed a whole forkful....and then watching his face when he pretended all was very normal and trying not to draw attention to it......

He sounds like a real character Ammi. Fortunately things are not so bad for me yet. With strong glasses I can see pretty much as I always did, I've been myopic since I was a child. But reading down to your next post, I think thats a terrific idea!!

[jennyjuniper]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Sorry to hear that Jenny, if it were me I would go for it, my Mum had her cateracts done and you are awake for that and she said it was painless, be brave Jenny and have it done as it might be successful and you might regret it down the line if you don't. I'm sure there is someone on here who has eye injections possibly not for the same condition though.

Thanks Cherie, yes you are right I'm such a coward when it comes to something like that, but when I think of all the painful proceedures that other people face every day, it sort of puts things into perspective doesn't it.

[jennyjuniper]

Originally Posted by caprimint

Sorry to hear this I have no experience of anything to do with this, but just thought I'd add my opinion here...if I were in your position then I would go for it. The thought of a needle in an eyeball makes me cringe too, but if there is at least a chance of having some effect then I really think it's worth going through with it.

Hope everything goes well for you with whatever you decide to do.

Thanks for that caprimint. I suppose I'm doing what a lot of people do when they decide to give up smoking. Tell everyone, then if I don't go through with it I will feel a bit of a wuss!

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by jennyjuniper

He sounds like a real character Ammi. Fortunately things are not so bad for me yet. With strong glasses I can see pretty much as I always did, I've been myopic since I was a child. But reading down to your next post, I think thats a terrific idea!!

..just touching on what Cherie said, Jenny....BigSister/the member...has eye injections for a different thing so she would be a good person to have a chat with..

[Amy Jade]

My Grandad had eye injections for diabetes, he said it wasn't that bad and he used to say listening to my Nan nag was worse

Sorry to hear you've got to go through this though, the thought of it doesnt bear thinking about - anything at all that helps has got to be worth a try though?

[bitontheslide]

Go for it Jenny. The thought of putting contact lenses in eyes makes many people cringe, yet millions do it every day .... we put drops in our eyes for all sorts of things, we get dust in our eyes and scratch them for all its worth. A precise little prick is nothing

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by jennyjuniper

Thanks Cherie, yes you are right I'm such a coward when it comes to something like that, but when I think of all the painful proceedures that other people face every day, it sort of puts things into perspective doesn't it.

I'd be the same, I think the thought of something is often worse than the reality, BOTs made a good point about contact lenses I thought I would never be able to put something in my eye now it's pretty much second nature

[the truth]

Originally Posted by jennyjuniper

Just recently I found out that I have AMD, which is a degenerative eye disease. There are two kinds, wet and dry and just to be an awkward b..... I have dry in one eye and wet in the other.
The dry type cannot be treated, although the eyesight decreases very slowly. However the hospital has offered me treatment in the 'wet' eye. This involves medication being injected into the eyeball, three times at six week intervals. There is no guarentee it will have any effect and I admit that the thought of a needle (no matter how fine) being put into my eyeball horrifies me.
What I would like to ask is if any of you know someone who has had this proceedure, or if you have had this treatment yourselves. If so, how did it go?
I have a short while before I have to let the hospital know whether I want to go ahead or not.

Im sorry to hear this jenny x
Im going to the opticians today so ill ask as much as I can about this and report back later
take care

[Niamh.]

I never heard of that condition but sorry to hear it. An injection in the eye sounds bad but presumably they would give you a local anesthetic or something? You'll have to give the treatment a go though, you don't want to lose your sight

[jaxie]

So sorry to hear about your eyes Jenny. My father had glaucoma (among many other ailments down to his diabetes) and had to have injections in his eyes. He didn't speak about it much but know he found it one of the less pleasant things he had to have done, however he said it was worth it to retain his eyesight.

I hope that whatever you decide it works out to be the best choice for you.

[Vicky.]

I would go for it, is there any risks involved for the treatment? or is it just a risk it might not work?

Sorry you are going through this. I would honestly rather chop my arm off than stick something into my eye. It took me 6 months to get used to contact lenses and I still used to have a mini panic attack when I put them in or took them out. Can't imagine what I would be like with a needle