As a part of February’s Macular Degeneration month, we take a closer look at the devastating effects the disease has on its victims. ’James Bond’ star Judi Dench is speaks out on her suffering from macular degeneration, and slowly losing her ability to work.
The 77-year-old actress now has to rely on friends and family to help her read scripts after her diagnosis. Speaking to The Daily Mirror, she said: ‘I can’t read scripts anymore because of the trouble with my eyes. And so somebody comes in and reads them to me, like telling me a story. It’s usually my daughter or my agent or a friend and actually I like that, because I sit there and imagine the story in my mind. I’ve got what my ma had, macular degeneration, which you get when you get old.’ Dench further elaborates that she cannot see people who sit directly in front of her, but this will not cause her to retire: ”As long as there is a possibility of working I’m not going to retire because if I retire nothing will work anymore and it’s hard enough as it is.’ Excerpted.
AMD is a disease that affects part of the back of the eye called the macula, the central part of the retina. This can cause the center part of your vision to become blurry or wavy. It could also cause a blind spot in the center of your vision. While AMD is commonly seen in people aged 60 and older it can also affect those even younger. Other risk factors for AMD include race (Caucasian), smoking, diet, and genetic factors. The key to preventing vision loss is regular eye exams. If you are 65 or older, you should get a complete eye exam every one or two years, even if you have no problem seeing well.
Filed under: Blindness, Eye care, Healthcare, Interesting News, Smoking Tagged: | Age related Macular Degeneration, AMD, blindness, diabetes, eye, Eye care, eye disease, eye doctor, eye exam, eye health, eyes, health, health care, PBGA, prevent blindness america, Prevent Blindness Georgia, research, risk, risk factors, screening, smoking, Vision, vision care, Vision Health, vision screening, Vision screenings
