AMD AND THE FLY FISHERMAN
AMD : (Age-related Macular Degeneration)
I tried a magnifier light. I tried clip-on magnifying lenses. I finally had to admit that my vision was deteriorating. I believe that some of you can relate to the following examples: - I had great difficulty threading 4lb leader through the eye of a #8 hook.
Failing Eye Sight, be caused by many different things, At the age of 60, I found that I had cataracts in both of my eyes. Cataracts can be removed by a qualified eye surgeon new lens's inserted. The operation only takes about 5 minutes! One eye is repaired then 4 weeks of recovery, then the other eye can be repaired. I have to use over the counter eye drops, when my eyes start feeling gritty, do to lack of moisture. I go see my optomoligist every 3 months for my eye check up, where they put drops on my eyes, then then peer inside my eye.....
I know longer need to wear glasses while driving a motor vehicle, but I do need weak strength reading glasses to read books and newspapers. On the internet if the print is too small, I increase the screen from 100%, to 125%. I wear very dark sunglasses (heavily polarized) whenever I am outside, with side blinders so the the sun cannot get it if the sun is to my left or right.
At night I have (heavily polarized) lemon yellow sunglasses, so that I can see the center line of the road and the solid white line on the edge of the road. Another good aspect of there lemon yellow lens, is that I do not get night blinded by on coming traffic, specially if they have their high beams on. Now there are these new car headlight bulbs that are shine brighter than the halogens, and with a blue white light beam that is too powerful for others on the road, specially if the car is traveling toward you on the highway, or on a city street. When that happens I grab my dark lens glasses which can fit over my lemon yellow glass to prevent me from become temporally blinded by the car with these bright headlights which are too bright for anyone going the other way or the same road way.....
Eye medicine has come a long way, in my life time. My uncle was a printer, and because of the chemicals in his profession, he lost his sight and could no longer work. The eyes sight continued to declined and he no longer could go golf, watching television, read book. He tried to learn to read braille but his fingers had too many calluses. And his only way to pass the time in his house was to listen on a special radio for blind people, to daily installments of a book being read on the radio, and local and national news.
Protect you eyes or you could very well spend the rest of your remaining days in the dark!
That was a valuable article...and comment. Thanks for posting it. It made me get that appointment made that I've been putting off for way too long.
Your story reminds me of the times I spent fishing with my father, as he got older. He started asking me to tie on his lures and flys because of his weakening eyesight. As I tied on his lure I couldn't understand how a person couldn't complete such a simple task. Well, now I'm 57 years of age and I can't help but laugh every time I have to tie on a fly; if I've forgotten my glasses, I'm in trouble. Thanks for your post.