Step from sunny street to dark theatre.
Eyes don’t adjust quickly?
Serious problem? Possibly.
By 2040, 33 million people could be impacted by macular degeneration – the leading cause of irreversible blindness for those more than 65 years old in the Western World.
Gregory Jackson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Penn State Hershey Medical Center
2012
Jackson created an early-detection night-vision test for macular degeneration.
So I have a rant.
I’ve noticed, with a lot of blind fictional characters, the writers just say they were ‘blind from birth’ which is such a copout. It’s like saying that your nose is running. No reason given- could be allergies, could be a cold, could be that you ate something super spicy.
Eye conditions that cause blindness and visual impairment (only something like 8 percent of legally blind people are completely blind) are varied and they have different effects and other symptoms. Not everyone who is blind ‘looks blind’ or has the clouded cornea that traditionally signals that a character is blind. The problem can be in the front of the eye, but it can also be in the optic nerves or the brain.
Your character could have Albinism, Optic Nerve Hypoplasia, Retinopathy of Prematurity , Cataracts, Corneal Disease, Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy, Macular degeneration, a detached retina, I’m sure I’m missing some. Each of these things affects the eye differently, and come with other symptoms.
Blind representation is so important, but so is doing some research as to why. This isn’t just a problem with OCs or fanfiction, this is a problem I see with canon blind characters and it’s so frustrating.
I got my final diagnosis from that specialist today: (dry) Macular Degeneration. In both eyes.
I don’t feel like explaining it. I’m too worn out by the news, the prognosis and the 12hours I spent at the clinic.
But here, have a scan of one of my eyes. The little white worm - looking thing is what’s causing my vision loss.
… Mel.
I have this too, mine developed into the 2nd stage of wet macular degeneration. Hardest news ever to learn you have this disease. I wish you the best.
I got my final diagnosis from that specialist today: (dry) Macular Degeneration. In both eyes.
I don’t feel like explaining it. I’m too worn out by the news, the prognosis and the 12hours I spent at the clinic.
But here, have a scan of one of my eyes. The little white worm - looking thing is what’s causing my vision loss.
… Mel.
I have this too, mine developed into the 2nd stage of wet macular degeneration. Hardest news ever to learn you have this disease. I wish you the best.
This is it: this is your sign. You’re brand new, refreshed, empowered to change. Your calmer, softer times are coming. Your confidence, your happiness, your bliss, is arriving. Self acceptance is easier, and taking care of yourself is no longer a chore, but something you look forward to. You start to feel replenished - you’re *you* again - and the next chapter of your happier life begins now.
