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THE SEVERITY OF my condition hit me on a Saturday afternoon as I walked down O’Connell Street and looked at the people coming towards me. They had arms, torsos and legs, but no faces. They looked like zombies.
I had already experienced missing the glass when trying to pour water. More catastrophically, I had also missed a wine glass when attempting to pour some white wine, which is harder for me to see compared with red, but being an extra in a horror movie was a first.
Looking back, it was during a regular eye test in 2010 that my optician first noticed an irregularity. I was referred to an eye specialist who diagnosed me as having age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which impairs central vision.
I had the dry type of AMD and, at the time, it wasn’t causing me any difficulty. However, one in 10 people go on to develop the wet version. This is where abnormal blood vessels grow in the retina, and leak, causing scarring of the macula which controls central vision and light sensitivity.
Two years later, I found out that I was going to be that one in 10. My optician immediately referred me to the Royal Victoria, Eye and Ear Hospital, on Adelaide Road. It is very important to be treated as quickly as possible because AMD progresses rapidly. A person with wet AMD can lose much of their central vision in a few weeks.
Anti-VEGF drugs are used to treat the condition. VEGF is short for Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor. In wet AMD, too much VEGF is produced in the eye, causing the growth of unwanted, unhealthy blood vessels. Anti-VEGF drugs block its production, thus stopping the development of the vessels.
Currently, there is only one way to administer the drug and that is by injection into the white part of the eye. I was very nervous the day I went in for my initial treatment, but after so many injections since then, it is routine now and I am very grateful. It really is quite straightforward.
You lie back in a chair, a bit like being at the dentist, and an antiseptic solution is used to clean the surface of the eye. A device called a speculum is inserted to hold the eye open and then anaesthetic drops are used to numb it. You are instructed to look to the side as the injection is given. For those who might be a little squeamish, don’t worry. You don’t see the needle and it is over in seconds!
I have AMD in both eyes and, unfortunately, the macula in the right eye was so badly damaged, that the treatment was discontinued, as it was no longer effective. The sight I have in my right eye now is minimal. My left eye is treated every eight weeks and is stable. In fact, it has improved slightly because I can now identify faces once they are near enough.
When I was first diagnosed, and during the early stages of my treatment, I was at a loss to know how to cope. I am fortunate enough to live a short walk away from Vision Ireland and getting help from them was a turning point in accepting my new life.
They gave me a white symbol cane which folds and signifies to people that I have limited sight. One of the difficulties of being visually impaired is that people don’t know it just by looking at you. If you hold the cane getting on to a bus, for example, the driver will know you have low vision. Recently, I acquired a sturdy white walking stick. This gives my arthritic knee some support, as well as announcing to the world my low vision.
I also started counselling where I cried as I told a very sympathetic woman about the changes in my life and how I felt I was losing my independence and so many things that were important to me. She encouraged me to look for practical help.
I was in a writing group and I was finding that using the laptop was getting beyond me. The solution was a large TV screen which acted as a monitor for my laptop. This meant that I could write with ease and also use the internet, read the newspaper, do crosswords and Google to my heart’s content.
Because of my lack of central vision, words disappear or are shortened, and this is especially annoying doing crosswords. With ordinary text, the brain anticipates what the next word might be, but that doesn’t work with crosswords. I can no longer read words on a page so I listen to audiobooks and knit at the same time. There is usually a way around things if you seek them out. I use the magnifier on my smartphone when I go to the shops to check the prices and ingredients. When I’m in a restaurant, it’s also invaluable for reading the menu.
I later linked up with Fighting Blindness and the range of support groups offered was also really helpful as I could learn what other people with sight loss can do with technology.
I have been able to continue writing my short stories and, more importantly, I ghost-wrote Driven for Rosemary Smith, Ireland’s foremost female rally and racing driver. I am also happy to say that, during Covid, my memoir Openhearted was published by Penguin.
Unfortunately, my sight loss story doesn’t end there. In 2022, at one of my six-monthly check-ups with the eye specialist, I was diagnosed with glaucoma. Glaucoma is caused by fluid building up in the front of the eye, which increases pressure inside the eye. I use eye drops morning and night to prevent it from getting any worse.
I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been able to receive the medical help available to me. At 84 years of age, I look forward to many years of happiness living with my loss of vision and enjoying life with my family and friends.
Knowing Fighting Blindness is doing research into finding better treatments, and maybe one day a cure means that people like me with AMD may no longer need to worry about seeing zombies on O’Connell Street!
Ann Ingle is an author, mother and grandmother. Fighting Blindness is organising a public engagement day on Saturday, 8 June as part of its hosting of the Retina International World Congress taking place in Dublin. One of the biggest global gatherings of eye researchers this year, the event offers a rare opportunity for people with a vision impairment to quiz eye experts and hear about the latest advances in treatments and cures. To book your place, visit www.fightingblindness.ie.
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Whenever this is all behind us and we have found a vaccine/anti-viral/or just realise we need to get on and live with it, the true extent of the human cost of the restrictions will be fully revealed – delayed cancer diagnosis/treatment, mental health etc. Expect plenty of RTE whistleblower documentaries when it’s too late. And what will the government/HSE response be? It was only ADVICE, there was NO legal requirement to comply with the restrictions. They said the same in the High Court this week in response to the Ryanair lawsuit. They’ve covered themselves against ant future lawsuits
@Anna Anna: I spoke to a taxi driver on my way home tonight who didn’t seem to be a tin foil hat dude but he mentioned 30 people done a suicide this month in Co Galway.
Could be true but in general covid is never gonna catch up with them numbers
@Anna Anna: do you actually want hundreds of people turning up to hospitals and dieing in corridors? Do you not have the intelligence to realise that will happen if theres are thousands of cases a day? I’m sick of reading these comments on here.
@Munster1: what do you fine sickening in Anna comment? Personally I think the same as Anna. While I respect and follow guidelines and restrictions I can look forward and see the spin that will be put on this in time when the pandemic is over. One been flying already a spin put in that. Language has changed to the Government didn’t stop people flying. The psychology damage done too people prevented them flying. Not to mention society pointing the finger. Many of the restrictions are implemented by fear. Plus comments like yours. You can have an opinion like Anna’s and there are many like her, while still following guidelines.
@That Ray Browers Kid: A taxi driver told you something that might be true .. might be false ..and rather than doing any research and finding out, you just come on social media and post about it.
@Anna Anna: For a virus with over a 98% recovery rate closing Dublin down again is going to do untold economic and mental health damage to its citizens. Pray for the people of Dublin.
@Pablo: do you not know how social media works…? … it’s full of misinformation..
@RMChance55: 3 weeks of downtime to contain the spread of a deadly virus is not much to ask. What longterm damage has been done to the organs or lung capacity of those that have had this and recovered? We’re playing with peoples’ health and lives here. If we can contain then we contain. It’s not even a question.
@Anna Anna: well said Anna. That is the truth .
@windbag: Oh I know … Empty vessels everywhere
@GrumpyAulFella: If only had a true lockdown. Not fair on all of Dublin being shut down because of the disregard in small pockets of it. Saw another article showing breakdown of numbers and Blanchardstown and Tallaght are the big culprits (there is even a big bouncy castle next door with lots of kids on it right now, so I have to keep my kids in).
They should shut down these 2 areas of Dublin with checkpoints like they had in Kildare, reintroduce the 2km distance limit in them and have rolling Garda patrols.
The amount of ldl0ts roaming around shops with no masks, some making pathetic efforts with masks hanging loosely under their nose or on their chin (so they can pull up if tackled) and the worst was some m0r0n with a mask across his nose and mouth uncovered.
@That Ray Browers Kid: could be that you have not got a clue what you are talking about, and the taxi man too… see “this month” would not yet have any coroners report of suicide as the inquest to create such a report cannot even start until at least 6 weeks after the death and may takes many more months to establish suicide as the cause of death – so not you know and tall tell the taxi man the next time that he has not got a clue what he is talking about and you are now properly informed
https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/death/sudden_or_unexplained_death/inquests.html
@That Ray Browers Kid: Except that theJournal.ie did a fact check and proved this suicide number to be false. It would appear that one of the biggest fatalities has been that of common sense. When a person commits suicide, there has to be a post mortem followed by an inquest, that takes about two years. Why people fall for unverified figures on a meme that’s circulating on SM, is way beyond me. RIP Common Sense, you are are sadly missed
As I write this comment there are a large group of drunk people in Portobello (outside my house) with no social distancing having a party on the canal banks.
And we are closing safely run restaurants.
@Vincent: and NPHET really didn’t see this coming? Allows them to point the finger once again at the public
@Vincent: closing restaurants has nothing to do with a€€holes outside your house on the canal breaking rules. Both need to be tackled along with other issues to Get the numbers down.
@Caddyshack: agreed, however it makes it very difficult to accept when it appears there is no enforcement for their behaviour.
@Anna Anna: who else would they point the fingers at?!!! The only reason things are getting out of hand is because the public is throwing caution to the wind. Just look at the demonstration that took place last weekend! I almost (and I emphasise almost) wish the government would actually also throw caution to the wind, reopen everything, and let it rip for 1 month! Maybe when the death toll starts getting uncomfortable (as to me the numbers so far don’t seem to bother many) maybe people will cop on, quit the winging, and follow the rules:
- Social distance
- Reduce contacts
- Wear a mask
- Wash your hands
Not rocket science. We’re not being asked to amputate body parts!!! Don’t remember all this fuss when Kildare, Laois, and Offaly we’re locked down.
@Caddyshack: that’s basically it.
@Vincent: And where are the Gardai?? Asleep Again!
@Mónica Pascoal: there’ll be even more house parties and gatherings along the canal because the pubs and restaurants are closed, except for outdoor dining. And as for the protests, when there was a BLM protest in May with 5000 attendees (no masks at the time because back then we were told they were not necessary, no social distancing either) there was no rise in cases. When Luke O’Neill was asked about the risk of transmission he said it was very low as the virus disperses in the open air
@Vincent: I agree with you. The policing in tbis country is farcical
@Mónica Pascoal: that’s the truth.
@Vincent: I’m in Ranelagh and it was like a festival outside last night, hundreds of people drinking and partying till 4am. This happened during lockdown too. I dread the next few weeks.
@Mónica Pascoal:
Splendidly!
@Anna Anna: were you even at the BLM protests? The majority were wearing masks.
@CSR: and to think some muppets are pointing the finger at NPHET for blaming the public. Were NPHET drinking and partying?
@Caddyshack: restaurants are not responsible for numbers being up.
You got to hand it to Michael Martin, it squeezed the last bit of cash flow left in the economy, scrambling through any cuts her can get past welfare at the moment, ready to roll out austerity in October’s budget. All in the matter of a month in office. I think it might be the first time we see civil unrest in the last 100 years.
@Media Eire: And taxes on diesel are going up, possibly car tax too as Eamon Ryan stamps the seal of the Green Party on the budget.
@Media Eire: what would you have advised him to do to instead?
@Caddyshack: keep business open and invest in icu capacity . We cant go on like this the borrowings are astronomical 20bil this year maybe 15 bil next
@Media Eire: whenever the next protest against the govt takes place there is a groundswell of people who are just sick of their mishandling of this crisis – we are the slowest european capital to reopen and try live alongside the virus – very telling all the talk of ‘extraordinary measures’ that need to be taken never included putting govt workers politicians civil service rte etc on 3 day week with pay cut accordingly for the dramatic reduction in services required – if these decision makers felt financial pain the rest of us feel it would sharpen their focus and they wouldn’t be so fast to make recommendations that decimate peoples livelihoods – on Tuesday they were talking about how we have a plan that allows live with the virus like other sensible countries and by. Thursday they were in panic mode again – it just isnt good enough
@Tony Stack: Getting into ICU is not a guarantee of survival.
I actually think that closing restaurants that have implemented extensive measures at considerable cost is 《1》Ineffective 《2》 Unfair. Ineffective as there are many other available transmission routes, and pushing people into each other’s homes without any oversight is less risk averse than going to a regulated restaurant. Unfair as such restaurants did take at face value the word of Government citing measures necessary to facilitate re-opening prior to committing to such costs. 《3》 The virus will still be in Ireland after the 3 week shut-down period.
@Damian Moylan: absolutely, the HSE and others I.e. CMO etc. have a (hard on) for closing pubs and restaurants. This has been their MO for years and they finally have the power to do whatever they want. They’ve just put their finger in the air and said “restaurants, that’s the cause”, but not the mobs of people in Penny’s. I’d say, close Penny’s and other clothes stores first, no control in those stores and way way more people in them than a restaurant. The government is outta control here.
A school was closed today in Celbridge due to a number do confirmed cases – no mention on RTÉ. HSE have made it virtually impossible for any teacher or student in a school to be deemed a close contact of a confirmed case, as their criteria for a ‘close contact’ has been made up and actually contradicts ECDC definition. HSE keeping schools open at cost of students/teachers health. Why such secrecy from HSE around COVID in schools?!
Crazy to think that there can be more people present in a primary school class than at a wedding at the moment. Also, Third Level to more or less go online; what’s the difference between tutorial rooms and primary/secondary classrooms?
@Jonathan Regan: And what obligation is there on RTE to report every single COVID case in schools? You want schools shut?
@Jonathan Regan: Even you must realise that remote learning works better for a 22 year old than a 12 year old?
@EnKy: there is an obligation to report a school closure. Not every school related case. A school closure is different, very different.
@Jonathan Regan: the reason why the close contacts are different in secondary is because everyone is wearing a face covering & adhering to strict control measures
@Caddyshack: strict social distancing measures in Irish schools?! Good one. We have the largest classes in the EU and most of our schools weren’t purpose built for the number of students that attend. Im a close contact if I’m 2 seats away from a confirmed case on the bus. But this logic doesn’t apply in schools?
@Jonathan Regan: To what end? To create anxiety and panic amongst parents and teachers in other schools all over Ireland? I am flummoxed by some of the resistance to education persisting.
@EnKy: are you flummoxed that both educational professionals and parents are afraid of working in/sending children to learn in unsafe conditions? Radio silence all week from Ed Minister Norma Foley. Peter Reid actually said yesterday that no school had closed due to Covid. Imagine the HSE ‘not knowing’ that the HSE closed down a school.
When will people realise that this virus kills?
@WreckDefier: Life kills. Grow up!
@mar:
Ah heeeoor! Leave ir out!
@WreckDefier: the flu kills, depression kills, undiagnosed cancers kills
@Paul Lanigan: We have vaccines for the flu to limit its impact. Depression is underfunded and we can do better. And by keeping numbers low we can maintain a functioning health service, not that it was great before Covid. Let the Covid numbers get out of control and watch deaths in those other areas rise too. What’s your solution?
I don’t think any country has a handle on this.
@Alan Kelly: and yet many of them who suffered far greater devastation ( 800 deaths a day ) have been able to reopen their society since. June and havent seen deaths and health systems overwhelmed like all the scaremongering here would have you to believe …..i appreciate watching the media here you may think everyone else is in the same boat but they are not – there is no objective media critism in ireland about the failures managing this in Ireland , the failures at nursing homes , the failures with PPE , the failure with meat plants , the failure at direct provisions centres , the failures with the covid app technology ( half a million people who wanted to do the right thing had to delete the covid app ) the failure of business engagement and management with key drivers of our local sme economy – the list os pretty stark but all we hear are ‘house parties’ ” holiday homes’ ‘ checkpoints’ finger wagging nanny state nonsense – they are badly badly badly managing this crisis and more and more people are seeing it for what it is as time goes on – just terrible poor governance by those in power.
Has anybody noticed that the increase in cases has coincide with the schools reopening. Most teenagers would present as not having any signs of the virus but have it and can spread it in the community. I could be wrong!
@David Green: makes perfect sense. i saw loads of them in groups yesterday in a school yard, no social distancing.
Not gonna take a blind bit of notice what they say they have completely lost the people
How many have fully recovered?
@Stephen Maher: loose maths but 300000 cases 1750 deaths…. that a .06% death tally. Less then 1%.
@Rachel Franiuk: 300k?
@Stephen Maher: fully recovered can mean long term effects. Some of these we do not understand yet as we have not had the virus long enough. Neurological problems are happening
@Lynn: the next question is ‘how often?’ Where are the figures?
@Rachel Franiuk: where are you getting that figure? From the HSE: Total Confirmed Cases (HPSC) 32,271
@Rachel Franiuk: lose is bloody right … You got nothing right. Just using your own incorrect figures the percentage is 0.6 % … And considering you multiplied the number of cases by nearly 10 .. that would make it about 6% .. so you only underestimated by a factor of 100 … And 46 other fools liked you for it.
God its really getting serious for the dubs .
@George J Stephens: silly question. Why are wise people rejected from the journal like Anna?
I’m well aware that this website is very pro-FG, but I can’t believe there’s been no mention of a smoothie being thrown in Leo’s face earlier today.
Who needs propaganda when a lack of facts will suffice.
@Lao Tzu: pretty sure there’s an article on it
@Lao Tzu:
Read the articles…. Or go back to sleep!!
@Lao Tzu:
Posted 16 hours ago. .. You’re just not paying attention!!
@Lao Tzu:
Now listen…. See the arrow at the top left corner… Click on that and scroll down… What do you see? A video of Leo getting a milkshake in the puss!! Now give the phone back to the nurse.
@Lao Tzu: there is an article on that, although what it’s got to do with this topic is beyond me. Anyway, who cares, you’d think it was an assassination attempt the way young FG commented on it.
pub worship in this county is an epidemic
@Eire90: And what about the hoards of people in Penny’s every day, clambering over each other, trying on clothes on the floor, touching everything and putting it back for the next person to touch. If you’re looking for community transmission, there’s your source, not safely controlled restaurants.
Glad to see the Journal call out the far right loonies in the previous article. Truly and odious and dangerous lot.
@Peter Denham: while claiming to debunk 110 myths??? Copy and paste merchants
@Peter Denham: and not allow any comments, not even yours
Unreal. I’d lockdown Dublin full time pandemic or not. Who’ll miss them dubs anyway? No-one
@Jh2019: I’m a dub and I agree. We’ll keep our billions we pump into the economy to hold up the rest, we’ll keep the airport (good luck reaching so many destinations from Kerry or Cork, sh!t if you have to travel from Donegal to Kerry for a flight though). We’ll keep our public transport and road network, sure might even be better without all you “bogmen” having to drive into our new city-state. Just take your jealous hat off and stop the typical “country people hate city people” rhetoric, its so childish.
@Jh2019: I don’t know what part of Ireland you’re from, but I’m sure they’re is good and bad, just like here in Dublin.
why go to the pub to drink when you can just sit in the house and drink in peace and its much cheaper
@Eire90: because restaurants, cafes and pubs provide people with jobs and it also provide much needed social interaction for people.
“This is getting ridiculous again.”
Einstein said the definition of insanity is to keep repeating the same thing and expect a different outcome. Yes lock down Dublin but as soon as you lift it, the virus will be back again.
Whatever. Look at the numbers over the past few months, this is a load of bulls##t.
Let’s face the facts Dublin is where it is because of people in Dublin behaviour
@Kevin50: why accuse people or area? It’s a virus that travel since Dec 19. Some will catch it some won’t. Dublin is the largest population of the country. More tests are carried out than in March. Statistically, that’s where they’ll find more cases. On the other hand, lockdown is done because of fear over hospital overcapacity, not to slow the virus.
Fair play Leo Varadkar…. He has stitched Martin up a treat.
By your logic we might as well stop looking both ways when we cross the road, or abolish drink driving laws. As for the “grow up”, practice what you preach.
Why are capitalists moaning over pubs if pubs are no longer viable under the capitalists system thats there problem
@Eire90: it’s not a capitalist system when the state interferes to undermine the system.
And it’s ‘their’ not “their”. It appears that the education system isn’t working either
@Paul Lanigan: did it work for you?
Oh jaysus, does that mean no budget Ted!
My neighbour is a taxi driver and has not cleaned his taxi in 6 months
@F O R K: you need a new pair of binoculars
@F O R K: Maybe offer a hand, you seem to have a lot of time on your hands.
@Caddyshack: I drank too much wine last night but that comment made me laugh!!
If they want to minimise congregations of people in Dublin, do what it was done in March, shutdown the transport facility causing congregations, cycling facilities. In the space of a car parked, there is now a bicycle ranks, this multiple by ten the number of people in the outdoors location
The cycling facilities in Dublin are the source of spread. We all know it. It has been since early stages in March. Ban cycling and shutdown the cycling facilities and the rate of spread will be reduced.
If they can cycle, they can walk. If they need to go to work, they already know how to protect themselves in confined space.
It is not fair for everybody else from business and their employees to children whose first communion is cancelled again or those who won’t be able to visit their very old and fragile parents to other outdoors users and sports
If barriers are up again in Dublin, it should be to barrier up all cycling facilities
@Maria Quinn: you’re blaming bicycles for this?
@Maria Quinn: are you promoting your new stand-up comedy show?
@Maria Quinn: that’s one of the funniest and most bizarre things I’ve read in ages . I’m sending you a well done card
People don’t get it. You have to keep a distance from other people even when visiting a house.
I hear there’s steak being sold at discount prices out the back of all FX Buckley restaurants.
@Eoin Doe: well their restaurant sells 12oz steaks for €39 so let’s hope they’re slightly cheaper. Difficult to have too much sympathy for some outfits who charge a small fortune for a piece of meat that can be bought in a butchers for a fiver.
@GrumpyAulFella: have you ever eaten there? I bet not, so you wouldn’t understand the amazing quality of the food, service and wine. You go to you aldi and get your “premium” steak for €5. Its nowhere near the same. Your name is so apt, see your comments on everything and it appears you hate everything. Just go back to your curtain twitching and leave people to enjoy the things they like and stop being jealous.
@GrumpyAulFella: Plus, point me to your or any butchers that sells, fillet or Wagu or even a real decent sirloin steak for a fiver. You know nothing about decent meat, so sit down lad.
@Alan Wright: I’ve never heard of Wagu steak. Are you talking about Japanese Wagyu? I had it in the Morrison once. Anyone who pays €39 for a 12oz fillet needs their head examined. Get out of the city to a decent restaurant and you’ll get the same cut for 20 odd euros.
@GrumpyAulFella: So, all you have is a grammatical correction from a clearly obvious spell check. Have you pointed to your butchers that can sell a premium steak for a “fiver”? Hmm, obviously not. Typical of your sort, never answer a question with a fact, just spout more angry shouting. Your point of out of the city v’s in the city is total basic economics i can’t actually believe you brought it up. City (every city in the world) is more expensive that the countryside, wow never knew that.
@Alan Wright: Sorry Alan you were the one up on your high horse about your Wagyu. I didn’t spell check as I know what Wagyu is. Go to the Dublin Meat Co and you will get a really good fillets for 5-10 eur. Go home throw it on a pan and bingo a €39 fillet. Go to a steakhouse in a suburb, not far from Parkgate St and you will get really good steaks for a lot less than €39. I don’t care what heifers they use, how marbled and dry aged their meat is. They’re profiteering on a name at €39.
@GrumpyAulFella: I can’t believe you two are actually arguing over the price of steak! We used to pride ourselves on being the ‘friendly Irish’, the comments section of the journal certainly puts that theory to bed!
All I see on this site lately is a lot of bickering tribal people,sad really.
Well well, it looks like all those that shouted “Open the pubs” are eating humble pie now.
Allegedly the caravan parks around Wexford are packed with Dublin folk who got out before midnight Clayton Whites hotel is extremely busy with people from Dublin. So I guess we can expect the figures to go up and up soon here in Wexford.
Is that Only have visitors in your house from one other household At a time, or For entire 3 weeks?
Three of the Dublin electoral areas have a 14 day Covid-19 incidence rate of 150 to 190 rate per 100,000.
Celbridge, on the Dublin border, has an incidence rate of 171 – 3rd worse in the country & should be on level 3 lockdown – why isn’t it?
have your say