A terrible thing to tell a patient

I have always known that one of the worst things that a person can hear from their doctor is "There is nothing that can be done to help you".  I nice 88 year old gentleman with macular degeneration told me this week that he'd visited a new opthalmologist in his area hoping for help with his vision.  The new doctor said those dreaded words, "There is nothing that can be done to help you".  He followed that by saying "If I could, I'd get all of the old men off of the road".  Of course, that made the man angry and he requested his records. 

Someone recommended he see me.  All that he wanted to do was to continue to drive short distances to the store, church, medical appointments.  He hoped to be able to see a bit better and feel safer.  He has no interest in driving at night.

Interestingly, his vision with his present glasses was sufficient to qualify for a full time driver's permit.  He is wise enough to drive daylight only.

He and I went outside of my office on a gray, overcast, rainy day and I demonstrated E Scoop glasses.  His comment when he looked through them was "This is how it looked 30 years ago".  I prescribed the E Scoops and he is going to drive safer and more confidently.  (day time only)

E Scoop glasses magnify slightly, increase contrast, reduce haze and divert the image of what is seen away from the diseased macula to a healther part of the retina.  I have prescribed them with great success for many of my low vision patients.