A SUCCESSFUL support group which was formed last year is hoping it can help more people who suffer from a degenerative disease which affects the eyesight. The West Devon Macular Disease Society has just celebrated its first birthday and has been a lifeline to many people who have been diagnosed with the disease, which affects almost 50% of people over the age of 70. Sufferers can learn more about the disease and services available to them through the meetings held on the second Thursday of every month in the Lower Hall of Tavistock Methodist Chapel from 2.30pm to 4pm. Subjects as diverse as dowsing to recycling, the Exeter Police Museum to the U3A are all covered at the society?s meeting with guest speakers giving an insight. Afterwards there is time for tea and biscuits and a chance to socialise. Esme Wheeler, who started the group with two friends, Jean Thompson and Elizabeth Watkins, said there was a big gap between diagnosis and rehabilitation and the support group was a way to bridge that gap. A sufferer of Macular Disease herself, Mrs Wheeler said there were now 30 subscribers in the group. The macular is in the middle of the retina at the back of the eye and takes care of the central part of what we see. When it is damaged, central vision is affected, leaving sufferers with only peripheral vision. Mrs Wheeler, who can no longer read a book, said all the members led as normal a life as they could: ?We make sure, as far as we can, that the disease does not interfere in anyway with what we want to do,? she said. Diana Jackson from Lifton said she had been going to the group since it started: ?I was diagnosed a year and a half ago, but I knew nothing about the disease. ?At the time I could see quite well but as time goes on your sight deteriorates quite badly and you have to adapt your life to deal with it. ?It is a very depressing disease because there is nothing you or anybody can do about it, but the group has been marvellous in giving us that little boost that we need to go on from day to day.To realise you are not alone is a big help.?
