‘Glaucoma robbed

‘My vision has deteriorated slowly to where we are now’

GLAUCOMA has slowly robbed David Clark of his sight.

The father-of-two has had to take early retirement, quit reading and even avoid the city centre.

The retired scientist is one of tens of thousands of Scots suffering progressive loss of sight, with 1,340 people having been diagnosed in Dundee alone.

Glaucoma — a condition where the optic nerve which connects the eye to the brain becomes damaged — is the second largest cause of blindness in the UK.

And, according to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Scotland, it is estimated that almost half of those affected do not even know they have it. David spoke to the Tele ahead of World Glaucoma Week, which starts on Sunday.

The 71-year-old from Downfield said: “I have always had poor eyesight. But it didn’t stop me for many years.

“By 1980, I was beginning to feel symptoms, particularly pressure in my eyes and white spots.

“I was diagnosed with glaucoma and prescribed eye drops. I used them religiously — I was only in my midthirties. But by 2001, my vision had deteriorated significantly and I had to take the early retirement opportunity that was offered. It became too difficult to do my job — I was a biomedical scientist in haematology and it was a major thing for me.

“My eyes were so important to my job. Of course it was disappointing, very disappointing. However, I had about six months to get used to it.

“But not being able to drive and difficulty moving around when it’s dark, are difficult to deal with.

“It can be tricky going into town. Places like the bottom of Reform Street, where you have people going in all directions and sometimes fast, can be really tricky. The entrances to