The effects of macular degeneration, which damages the eyesight of many Villagers as they age, can be delayed with early diagnosis and treatment, according to Jim Stickel, a Villager who suffers from it.
Stickel, who spoke Monday to the Civil Discourse Club, also said people who are blind or visually impaired still can enjoy the benefits of a Villages lifestyle.
His presentation included videos of interviews with doctors and people with the condition conducted by Villager Frank Lancione and produced by Evergreen Wellness.
Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in The Villages and developed countries, Stickel said.
He discovered that he suffered from macular degeneration when he went to the doctor in December 2013 for an occlusion in his eye. After treatment, he woke up blind the following day. A doctor said he always would be blind in his right eye, but sight was restored in his left eye.
Stickel became president of the Visually Impaired People of The Villages, a social club for residents with vision problems.
“It’s been a joy,” he said. “It’s also been a lot of hardship.”
The group helps visually impaired people lead active lives despite their issues, Stickel said.
The Amsler Grid, which consists of a a dot in the middle of crossword-like squares on a piece of paper, is a way to test for macular degeneration. Staring at the grid separately with each eye from about a foot away should show the grid clearly. If the lines are blurry, wavy or covered by black spots, it could be a sign of the disease.
Many people have dry macular degeneration, which does not damage their sight. But the wet form of the disease, which has fluid in the eye, is more dangerous. One in seven people with the dry form eventually will develop the wet one.
The condition affects white people more than minorities and women more than men.
“If you do nothing, it can lead to blindness,” Stickel said. “Can we cure it? No. Can we delay it? Yes.”
He said some common practices can be changed to accommodate people with vision problems. Many slide presentations, for example, use 24-point type, which is too small for the visually impaired to read unless they are close to the screen. But 54-point yellow type on a black background is easier to read.
Stickel defended the deaf group that sued the Lifelong Learning College, which closed earlier this year. He said the group was just trying to get the college to follow the law in accommodating their handicap and should not be blamed for its closure.
One video featured interviews with people who remain active despite their vision problems. One operates a business, another does craft projects while a third builds cabinetry. Others continue to bowl and golf, although the golfers need someone else to watch where the ball goes.
Stickel said it’s important to remain positive despite the condition.
“Depression is one of the worst parts of this disease,” he said.
