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Dear Derasta  (Debbie),

I lost my eyesight due to Diabetic Retinopathy, but also the Macula is affected in the right eye....that's why I see distortion.  My vision is 20/400 in the right eye, and 20/80 in the left eye. I can use a blind person's cane, but haven't gotten in to that very much.......I can read with my left eye, by placing the paper 1 inch from my eye, with my right eye closed....My doctor is surprised i continue to read so much, but he says it's ok, because it strengthens the eyes.  However, he says I get tired so much more than normal sighted people, because my eyes are working extra hard to see. To see this computer screen, I am sitting a few inches from the screen (large moniter), with extra large print...and at that it is still wavey and blurry.

 I have had diabetes for over 20 years.  Exactly one year after marrying Jimmy, I went to work one day , and couldn't read my assignment. It all came on suddenly, although I had just been for a routine visit to the eye doctor a few weeks earlier.   My co-workers saw I was having trouble reading the paper, as I put the assignment sheet up close to my eyes.  Then, as the shift progressed, I just couldn't see to do the nursing tasks I had to do, like catheterize people, start iv's, and remove sutures and staples.  Jimmy took me to the Retuna Specialist, and it was an emergency, because my eyes were hemorhaging inside....I was not allowed to go back to work after that..Jimmy took me to the Eye doctor  (retina specialists), so many times, i lost count......Jimmy and I spent many, many hours in the retina specialist office, time and time again, as they dilated my eyes, and kept examining them, over and over......I had laser surgery twice, and the diagnosis is that the condition will deteriate, and nothing futher can be done...the laser surgery only stopped it for a while from bleeding further...however, even now they bleed occasionally...i know it when i see these big black spider-like things moving in front of me....

Anyhow, on a happier note, the "literature" says that it takes 1 year for a person to adjust to loss of eyesight........I am over that mark, as it is 3 years now...It annoys me, more than anything else, and the problem is driving...i'm not allowed to.  Ifa person is very close to me, I can see them, a little,,,but, i can't even see the big E on the eyechart..........

Well, I hope your diabetes and eyesight is ok........Doctor's always make you feel guilty for having Diabetes, but hey, there is no cure for diabetes, only diet and exercise.....Until there is a cure, I refuse to feel guilty for it.  When I was growing up, you hardly ever heard about Diabetes.  Now, every other word in newspapers, magazines, etc., is the word Diabetes....the media maks the public afraid of diabetes....however, our society is based on fast foods, processed foods, etc.   They feed us all that bad food, and then make you feel guilty about diabetes...........As for myself, I follow a very strict diet, or try my best anyhow....no sugars, no white products, no processed foods....mostly vegtables, salads and fish........i never eat out anymore, and not living with anyone, it has become easier for me to restrict my diet......Stem cell research is so important, and may be the only help for diabetics.  

My mother had diabetes, and she was scared to give herself insulin shots.  So at the age of 12  , I was taught to give her the shots....It was in the days of glass syringes, and she had to boil the syringe........Every morning she would wake me up at 7 am, and half sleepy-eyed i would get up, and give her insulin...........so, growing up in a diabetic household, i'm kind of used to the whole thing, and refuse to be scared of it................worse than a disease itself, (any disease, for that matter), is to "be scared of the disease."