Senior Help:The Impact of Vision Loss

Everyone experiences some type of decline in vision as we age. If your loved one is experiencing vision loss, you are both likely going through some strong emotions.

The Impact on The Parent

My mother-in-law is losing her eyesight due to glaucoma. Each day her tunnel of vision gets smaller, the clarity diminishes. She's at the end of her options terms of available treatments.

The loss of eyesight is a source of grief and anxiety. It redefines your lifestyle entirely. My mother-in-law, for example, spent her days searching new recipes, reading, watching TV, playing crossword puzzles. She enjoyed card games and loved to watch her grandbabies playing. Her first great-grandchild is on the way this spring, and she will not likely be able to see what he looks like. The emotional toll can be devastating.

I often try to put myself in her place, imagining letting go of that part of your life. As I drove down a country road this week I noticed the brilliant blue sky, deep shades of green and cherry trees just beginning to bloom. And I realized that she would never again see these things. I wondered if she, too, has thought about the simple things that will be lost. I'm sure she has... every day. She speaks frequently of the increased feeling of isolation and her frustration at her loss of independence.

The Toll on You

I have to admit, when my mother-in-law's eyesight began to go, I didn't think much of it. It just seemed like another step in the aging process. But it all happened so quickly - to sit on the sidelines helplessly and watch a person's lifestyle forcefully taken away is a very painful thing to see.

Because along with the loss of vision comes so many other problems. The loss of mental stimulation from her previous lifestyle has taken a cognitive toll. I am in constant fear of the new physical barriers she faces. Just a few weeks ago she fell on the sidewalk, badly scraping her face, injuring her hip and bruising the entire left side of her body. How will our family care for her? How do I ease the process?

Coping with Lost Vision

As a hospice volunteer for many years, I'm a strong advocate of Dr. Elisabeth Kubler Ross's work on the stages of grief. Not only does it apply to the loss of a loved one, but any major change in life. We all face the cycle of denial, anger, depression and, finally, acceptance of the loss. As you both (or all) reach acceptance, find new ways to engage your loved one. Learn to describe what you are seeing in detail, so that you can become a virtual set of eyes for him or her. And beyond all things, yearn for understanding and peace with the situation.

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--Kim Thies

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  1. Topics about Peace » Archive » Senior Help:The Impact of Vision Loss
    [...] Elder Care ABC placed an interesting blog post on Senior Help:The Impact of Vision LossHere’s a brief overviewNormal 0 Everyone experiences some type of decline in vision as we age. If your loved one is experiencing vision loss, you are both likely going through some strong emotions. The Impact on The Parent My mother-in-law is losing her eyesight due to glaucoma. Each day her tunnel of vision gets smaller, the clarity diminishes. She’s at the end of her options terms of available treatments. The loss of eyesight is a source of grief and anxiety. It redefines your lifestyle e [...]
    April 3, 2009
  2. Theresa
    My Mom has macular degeneration. It came on suddenly. It really seems as though she was reading the newspaper on day, and unable to see the next. The vision is totally gone in one eye, partial in the other. She lives in an apartment alone. It seems she is always baking something only to have the oven on broil. Yes, I worry--a lot. And yet, the BMV renewed her drivers license! She lives less than a mile from me and drives to my house. She also drives to the store which is only about 1/2 mile. She just won't understand that if someone steps out from her blind side, she will never see them. I take her everywhere else, but she really thinks that she could drive to the doctor, or the garage. It just seems so unfair. Her whole life revolved around gardening, and now she cannot see to do that. I purchased a cctv magnifier from ebay for her, and she can read her bible and magazines. She cannot write letters or checks, or watch TV. She cannot read prices at the store, or usually even find what she's looking for. I could go on and on. I know I lose patience with her at times, and I feel really bad about it. When we are at the store, she stops to look at things that she would have no interest in, but she can't tell what it is. She is taking eye injections every six weeks and what eyesight she has seems to be holding pretty steady. OK, I vented. I feel a little better now, but still guilty.
    April 4, 2009
  3. Kim Thies
    Your Message<a href="#comment-550" rel="nofollow">@Theresa:</a> <a href="#comment-550" rel="nofollow">@Theresa:</a> I can so relate, Theresa. My mother in law built her life around her sight - something I think we all take for granted until it is taken away. Like your mother, her loss was sudden, due to rapid onset glaucoma. One day she could do crosswords, the next she could not. A couple of weeks later the TV became a blur. She tried contacts AND glasses, but was too uncomfortable. She, too, burns food constantly, adds the wrong ingredients, etc. She finally lost her license three months ago - after being diagnosed at 95% vision loss with no hope of improvement. It's been frustrating for us, as well. With the loss of her eyesight we have seen an onset of grief and a sudden decrease in cognition. She's irritable and just plain mean many days. I have to step back and ask how I'd handle the situation... probably not any better. Though I still find myself wanting to pull my hair out at times. Thanks for the comment!
    April 6, 2009
  4. Mary
    Your Message<a href="#comment-550" rel="nofollow">@Theresa:</a> Theresa, thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your story. You can vent here anytime. These situations can be really difficult, but I think your Mom is very lucky to have you. I'm amazed that the BMV would renew her license, but we found the same to be true with my Uncle. He'd play cards with a huge lit up magnifying class and claimed he could still see shapes. I still don't know how he passed the eye test!
    April 6, 2009
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    [...] Sources: 1.   Web MD 2.    Eldercare ABC Blog [...]
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  14. Molly Shomer
    A number of organizations around the country provide education in how to cope with vision loss. Seniors will benefit just as much as younger folks. Check the American Foundation For the Blind website at http://www.afb.org for a list by state
    August 24, 2009
  15. Bill Bartmann
    Excellent site, keep up the good work
    September 2, 2009
  16. Tara Deck
    I can really understand that. A good friend of mine is finding more and more details in daily living that are effected by being blind in one eye. He even has problems with something happening on that side that he misses, such as a person walking up along side of him.
    October 26, 2009