by Priscilla Babiolakis

Created on: December 06, 2008

LIFE LESSONS

Life is perhaps one of our greatest teachers and we do not generally pay attention - we tend to take much for granted... until suddenly our perfect world comes crashing down around us.

As I walked out of the eye specialist's clinic, still hearing his words continually buzzing around in my head, I realised my whole world was about to disintegrate around me. I looked towards the cloudless brilliant blue African sky and across at Table Mountain, breathing in all the delights of nature's vivid colours. I honestly believed I had never truly seen a single sliver of colour that nature provided. Why had I not noticed these things before? A single tear rolled down my cheek and I knew how precious this moment was. With a thumping heart and racing mind, I tried to absorb as much as I could - the different shades of greens, browns... whatever came directly into my vision - these needed to be stored away in my mind for the dark days that would surely follow.

In 1996 I first experienced a sensation comparable to that of a dancing black spot in my left eye. I found a hundred reasons for not going to seek professional help, as deep down a small voice inside told me that it was the beginning of the same eye disease that made my mother totally blind. In denial, my mind reeled with many questions. I was only 66 years old and still enjoyed overall good health. My husband and I spent many hours planning our retirement. Mum's eye problems began when she turned 80. It was just so unfair.

"Why me? Why now?" I cried over and over.

When I finally did go and see the ophthalmologist he confirmed the worst. I had left the condition for too long and now it was far too late to treat. Eventually I would become legally blind in my left eye caused by the condition called Macular Degeneration. Laser surgery was an option, but it only guaranteed a ten to 15 percent success rate. Laser treatment is administered to prevent leaks of serum or blood leaking from the retina.

Leakage also causes the retina cells to die and creates blind spots in central vision. The retina is a multi layered sensory tissue that lines the back of the eye. The macular is situated approximately in the centre of the retina, temporal to the optic nerve.

The degeneration is caused by the physical disturbance of the centre of the retina known as the macular. This is the section of the retina responsible for our most detailed and acute vision. We use the macular for driving, reading, recognizing faces, watching television

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