A WOMAN from Chard has claimed just a few minutes saved her sight and is now urging others to get their eyes checked regularly.
Kathy Bishop believes her sight was saved because she spotted a leaflet about Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Now the former benefits officer is calling on others to get their eyes checked immediately if they notice a problem.
Kathy was first diagnosed with macular disease nearly 10 years ago while living and working in Northamptonshire.
By chance, Kathy happened to see a Macular Society leaflet on AMD while waiting for her husband in their local opticians.
AMD affects the central vision and is the most common cause of sight loss in the UK, affecting more than 600,000 people.
Mrs Bishop said: “I happened to pick up a Macular Society leaflet on AMD, which I’d never heard of before. The leaflet included an Amsler Grid, which is used to check for problems with a person’s central vision.
“I finished reading through the leaflet and didn’t think any more of it.
“I didn’t realise it at the time, but as things turned out, the few minutes I spent looking through that leaflet probably stopped me from losing my sight.”
A couple of months later, she noticed her eyes getting tired when she was reading a book.
Mrs Bishop added: “I kept cleaning my glasses and rubbing my eyes, but it didn’t seem to have any effect.
“Then I thought about the leaflet. I realised I was experiencing some of the symptoms that were described there.”
Her instincts proved correct and Kathy was diagnosed with AMD, which is being treated.
She has now spent the past decade volunteering with the Macular Society and is hoping she will be able to start and lead a support group in the Chard area.
Alongside her husband, she also acts as a volunteer speaker for the Society, and has raised funds for the charity by taking part in runs.
She said: “I wanted to give something back and help others with macular conditions by sharing my experience with them.
“I was really fortunate that I saw the Macular Society’s leaflet when I did, so I knew exactly what to do when my sight problems began. Not everyone is that lucky.”
For more information, visit macularsociety.org.
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