Excel bumps led to eyedisease diagnosis

Since upgrading to Windows 10 I have become very suspicious of Microsoft tracking my actions, particularly as Excel seems to renew whenever I save it – as if it were alive – though I only work offline. When the horizontal lines in the cells appeared to show a little bump running left to right, I was even more convinced.

I was due an eye-test and was shocked to be told that the ‘bump’ in Excel was a sign of a problem with my right eye, and I was referred to the local hospital eye clinic. It’s a serious matter and will gradually get worse until vision is lost. Had I had treatment within two weeks of noticing it, they could have injected the eye and stopped the cause, which apparently is leaking blood vessels or fluid. This has been highlighted in the press as ‘Wet AMD’ and ‘Dry AMD’ (Age-related Macular Degeneration).

Now that I am aware of the problem, and not blaming Microsoft, I notice that all horizontal lines – my pergola, kitchen cabinet doors and so on – are distorted too, but I will have to get used to it. I tell you this to warn other readers to go immediately to their optician should they notice a bump on their Excel lines. Prompt action could save their eyesight. I am not yet of retirement age and run two businesses, so losing sight, even in one eye, needs planning for the future.

Marilyn Jones