Inspirational Stories
Mind Your Body
|
 |
Something strange started happening to Mr Ismail Daud back in 2001. Hisbathroom mirror would fog up even when he wasn't taking a shower. "I couldn't even see the features on my own face in it," said the 60-year-old driver.
The first sign of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the blurring of vision that makes straight lines appear slightly distorted or warped. Some see a blurred spot in the middle of what they are looking at.
As he is a diabetic, Mr Ismail went to the nearest polyclinic immediately. "I think the doctor suspected I had diabetes retinopathy. I was referred to Alexandra Hospital," he said. After a battery of tests, Mr Ismail was diagnosed with AMD in his left eye – a couple of months after he first thought the mirror was fogging up. "My left eye was blurred in the centre. I saw fuzzy sides and it kept watering. I looked like I was crying all the time," he said. It was also advanced, wet AMD.
According to Associate Professor Au Eong Kah Guan, an eye specialist and head of ophthalmology and visual science at Alexandra Hospital, the condition occurs when abnormal blood vessels behind the retina start to grow under the macula, often leaking blood and fluid. The blood and fluid push the macula from its normal place at the centre of the back of the eye, damaging it rapidly. The disease gradually destroys sharp, central vision, which is needed for seeing objects clearly and for common daily tasks such as reading and driving. "With wet AMD, the loss of central vision can happen very quickly," he said.
Although AMD causes no pain, "I would tear all the time, which was very inconvenient", Mr Ismail said. The father of two and grandfather of two did not want to lose his job as a driver for a regional research centre here. "I was not just worried. I was scared. Scared to lose my job, scared that I would have an accident. I didn't tell anyone about my condition, except my wife," he said. His wife decided she would sit beside him every time he drove. "She would read the road signs for me and tell me where the turn was. As the AMD affected my left eye, reading signs on the left was difficult," he said.
Mr Ismail was fortunate to receive a trial of a United States Food and Drug Administration-approved drug for wet AMD. Made from human antibody fragments, it prevents the formation of new blood vessels under the retina. The drug, which contains ranibizumab, is injected into the affected eye once a month.After six jabs, Mr Ismail's vision improved. "Sometimes I even read without my glasses on," he said, laughing. He continues driving – this time without his wife beside him to navigate. Mr Ismail has to continue the treatment for now and hopes that his condition will not deteriorate.
The first sign of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the blurring of vision that makes straight lines appear slightly distorted or warped. Some see a blurred spot in the middle of what they are looking at.
As he is a diabetic, Mr Ismail went to the nearest polyclinic immediately. "I think the doctor suspected I had diabetes retinopathy. I was referred to Alexandra Hospital," he said. After a battery of tests, Mr Ismail was diagnosed with AMD in his left eye – a couple of months after he first thought the mirror was fogging up. "My left eye was blurred in the centre. I saw fuzzy sides and it kept watering. I looked like I was crying all the time," he said. It was also advanced, wet AMD.
According to Associate Professor Au Eong Kah Guan, an eye specialist and head of ophthalmology and visual science at Alexandra Hospital, the condition occurs when abnormal blood vessels behind the retina start to grow under the macula, often leaking blood and fluid. The blood and fluid push the macula from its normal place at the centre of the back of the eye, damaging it rapidly. The disease gradually destroys sharp, central vision, which is needed for seeing objects clearly and for common daily tasks such as reading and driving. "With wet AMD, the loss of central vision can happen very quickly," he said.
Although AMD causes no pain, "I would tear all the time, which was very inconvenient", Mr Ismail said. The father of two and grandfather of two did not want to lose his job as a driver for a regional research centre here. "I was not just worried. I was scared. Scared to lose my job, scared that I would have an accident. I didn't tell anyone about my condition, except my wife," he said. His wife decided she would sit beside him every time he drove. "She would read the road signs for me and tell me where the turn was. As the AMD affected my left eye, reading signs on the left was difficult," he said.
Mr Ismail was fortunate to receive a trial of a United States Food and Drug Administration-approved drug for wet AMD. Made from human antibody fragments, it prevents the formation of new blood vessels under the retina. The drug, which contains ranibizumab, is injected into the affected eye once a month.After six jabs, Mr Ismail's vision improved. "Sometimes I even read without my glasses on," he said, laughing. He continues driving – this time without his wife beside him to navigate. Mr Ismail has to continue the treatment for now and hopes that his condition will not deteriorate.
The Straits Times (May 30, 2007)
|
 |
A high-degree myopia is 6.0 dioptre and higher. A dioptre is a measurement of the focusing power of a lens.
"My eyeballs are elongated and they put pressure on the retina. My degree was closer to the maximum – 10 dioptre," Dr Siddique said. As a child, she would think nothing of it, she said. "When your eyesight got worse, you would just fix it with a change in your eye glasses. With high myopia, it gets worse with age and it can't even be helped with corrective lenses," she added. It got progressively worse in a span of 30 years, slowly developing into MMD, "but it stabilised so I was able to lead a normal life", she said.
It took a turn for the worse about five years ago when she suffered from retinal detachment. This is when the retina is separated from the back of the eyeball, resulting in the loss of vision. Dr Siddique, who is married with children, said the debilitating disease can be terribly depressing. "I guess I was lucky as I have a very supportive family. That got me thinking about giving the same support to people who are in the same predicament," she said.
Together with like-minded friends, she set up the Macular Degeneration Society. She is the group's secretary. "Each person who suffers from low vision does so alone – trying to understand and overcome the condition. The society will help create awareness about the type of rehabilitation available," she said.
Dr Siddique also researched the technologies which could assist her condition. She equipped herself with the essential vision aids she needs."When reading becomes difficult, I would increase the size of the print. There is a range of tools to use and they include magnifying glasses, binoculars, and even CCTV reading systems," she said. "I try not to let my condition rob me of my life."
"My eyeballs are elongated and they put pressure on the retina. My degree was closer to the maximum – 10 dioptre," Dr Siddique said. As a child, she would think nothing of it, she said. "When your eyesight got worse, you would just fix it with a change in your eye glasses. With high myopia, it gets worse with age and it can't even be helped with corrective lenses," she added. It got progressively worse in a span of 30 years, slowly developing into MMD, "but it stabilised so I was able to lead a normal life", she said.
It took a turn for the worse about five years ago when she suffered from retinal detachment. This is when the retina is separated from the back of the eyeball, resulting in the loss of vision. Dr Siddique, who is married with children, said the debilitating disease can be terribly depressing. "I guess I was lucky as I have a very supportive family. That got me thinking about giving the same support to people who are in the same predicament," she said.
Together with like-minded friends, she set up the Macular Degeneration Society. She is the group's secretary. "Each person who suffers from low vision does so alone – trying to understand and overcome the condition. The society will help create awareness about the type of rehabilitation available," she said.
Dr Siddique also researched the technologies which could assist her condition. She equipped herself with the essential vision aids she needs."When reading becomes difficult, I would increase the size of the print. There is a range of tools to use and they include magnifying glasses, binoculars, and even CCTV reading systems," she said. "I try not to let my condition rob me of my life."
© 2007 - 2015 MACULAR DEGENERATION SOCIETY
