The Upside of My Vision Issues


Advanced Macular Degeneration (AMD) prevents me from seeing like I could twenty years ago. It’s like looking at the world through smudged up glasses. The big picture — what things are and where they are located, for example — is still clear, but the smudge obscures anything I focus on.

Bellyachin’ won’t help me see better or win me any friends. Even AMD has a silver lining. Here’s the upside of my visual impairment.

No more subtitles. Having to read most of a movie has never appealed to me. If nobody is around to read the subtitles for me, I miss anything important. AMD is legitimate excuse for passing on foreign films.

I’m never the designated driver. Nobody wants me to drive them anywhere. If I’m out after dark, somebody has picked me up and will take me home.

I read labels more. Nutrition is important to me, but I’m more concerned about missing something important on the label. God forbid I get home with something gluten-free, fat-free, sugar-free, low-fat, or with bizarre ingredients.

Keeping the house clean is easier. I pick up after myself and tidy up as I go along. If something looks dirty, I’ll clean it. Dirt I can’t see doesn’t bother me.

My garden is more enjoyable. When I could see better, a critical eye kept me from enjoying the fruits of my labor. All I saw was weeds to pull, dead flowers to remove, and other chores to be done. I see the big picture now, and it’s lovely.

People look better. Seeing faces is a challenge. Again, I get the big picture, but can’t see wrinkles, zits, hairy growths, or other blemishes. Nobody ages either. Everyone I know still looks like they did the last time I could see their face.

I’m not happy about my deteriorating vision, but the truth is, there are far worse things than going blind. Macular degeneration doesn’t hurt and is unlikely to kill me. More than anything else, it’s an inconvenience, and for that I am truly grateful.


2 responses to “The Upside of My Vision Issues”

  1. OK, I’m truly going to try to adopt your positive attitude about AMD. I will TRY to start NOW ! Up to this point I’ve been a grumpy old woman about this whole malady. I don’t like it. Sudden changes are the worst. For example, I woke this morning and looked at my phone and everything was more blurred than yesterday. Today I have had to use a huge magnifying glass to see anything on my phone, FB, texts, Google, everything. It’s not only the smog in the central vision, but the blur in addition. Doesn’t help that I’m 77 years old. Unfortunately I’m convinced it’s all downhjll from here.

    • Attitude is everything, and it’s a choice. Getting older is not for pussies, for sure. But keeping a positive attitude makes it a little easier. I’ve always had what my mother described as a “sunny disposition,” but in grad school I worked with a professor who was a huge believer in the power of positive thinking. He inspired me to WORK at being more positive, and in time, it becomes a habit. Good luck, and thanks for stopping by.