Problems due to retinopathy

Unbeliever

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,551
I have just completed the signing on process for the e-petition re test strips for T2's.

I am often surprised by the lack of awareness of the real problems experienced by those of us suffering from eye conditions. I am not complaining about this site particularly - I was going to PM Benedict but then thought my post might be beneficial to others.

It always makes me smile when I see somehing like metformin with the braille labelling and then some of the other medication which are very difficult to read for anyone let alone a large numner of people likely to have some problems with their vision.

The writing on most of the pots of test strips is almos impossible o read and as for the tes solution
well!

Some of my pills are almost indistinguishable from others. Potentially dangerous.

I have macular oedema .in both eyes which has not responded to 4 years of reatment. I cannot wear spectacles because not only is my vision constantly changing but my eyes do not work together sufficiently .
Also the distortions caused by the oedema woulsd be magnified by spectacles. The only aid I can use is a magnifying glass and this doesn't always work.

What has all this to do with the epetiton you are probably asking. Well all was fine unil I ggot to the end with the captcha feature. Now don't get me wrong I know here is a sound altrernative and the facility to try a differnt puzzle ec but the problem so often is not what I can't see but what I think I CAN seee. It is perfectly possible for me to see a word which is in fact a different word altogether or even for that word to disappear . It is also possible for me o be totally convinvced that I have yped he correct word when anyone lse would see that it is incorrect.
Sometimes letters overlap and are hidden from me but on the whole numbers are worse.
Whenever possible I get someone to check but it is difficult to make others understand .

I sometimes think hat the brain "guesses" at words and symbols it doesn't get the full message about and his is sometimes wrong.
When I post I often make typos but even thogh I try to edit carefully I just can't see he errors. Then a few days laer I read an old ost and he typos are immediately obvious to me.

It is naturally difficult for non-sufferers to understand all this. There is also the phenomenon of being able to see things around you quite clearly but something you know very well is immediately in front of you becomes invisible. Very confusing for everyone.
As I said initially no criticis of anyone is intended but problems with vision due to diabetes are not necessarily just a question of visula acuity .
In some ways I have better sight than my husband who only wers glasses for reading but it is dangerous for me to go out alone because I can't see dark cars for example. I lose banknotes because they suddenly appear to be just blank pieces of paper.
The worst aspect is convincing people I am not baty sometimes when I do srange hings because
my perceptions are incorrect.

Maybe some of you will consider this the next time you see what appears to be a confused person.
It might just be me trying to find my way around ,dodging black holes and possible slopes and obstacles unseen because my depth perception is impaired.!
 

Helenababe

Well-Known Member
Messages
800
Appreciate your post 'Unbeliever', and the difficulty you have to write it.

I've got background retinopathy, but started seeing things now, so off to see the eye specialist soon. I don't know what's in store for me in the future, but I've had to prepare myself for all the possibilities.

Helena.