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macular degeneration. I had no idea would highly recommend reaching out
what this meant, although I was rather to one of them, as the trained
sure that degeneration wasn’t a good professionals can be invaluable in re-
thing. The disease initially only af- storing independence and
fected one –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– confidence.
eye, but in
the space of “Before the journey ended, my My mom
a few weeks, Mom’s independence was restored, was the first
she had lost person I knew
much of the she took her first glider ride, and who thrived
functional even traveled outside of the US for with vision
central the first time in her life. .” loss. Since
vision in that then, I have
eye. Macular –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– met para-
degeneration lympians, suc-
causes loss of central, but not periph- cessful businesspeople, and many others
eral, vision. There are two kinds of age- who have thrived with vision loss. And
related macular degeneration, dry and I believe it’s just going to get better.
wet. Dry macular degeneration is far Healthcare providers and technologists
more prevalent, progresses much more are racing towards solutions which will
slowly, and is less debilitating although restore sight or provide alternatives to
there is no currently no treatment. Wet traditional vision which make people
macular degeneration proceeds rapidly who are blind newly independent.
and when my mom was affected, the It gets better. Within most of our
only treatment used lasers that cauter- lifetimes, I believe technology will be
ized the leaking retinal blood vessels. able to provide people with disabilities
Many more treatment options are now such as vision loss with superpowers.
available which can slow the onset by Based on how society has marginalized
years and even decades, under the care them, we’ll have to hope they become
of an eye doctor. You can learn more good, not evil, superheroes! How many
about macular degeneration at this parents have warned an older sibling to
VisionAware site - visionaware.org/info/ be kind to their younger sibling as some
your-eye-condition/age-related-macular-
degeneration-amd/12.
Before the journey ended, my mom’s
independence was restored, she took
her first glider ride, and even traveled
outside of the US for the first time in
her life. These accomplishments were
made possible through an association
for the blind. Similar organizations are
available in most areas and are read-
ily found through an internet search. I
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