Berwick resident Bill Coxhead is raising awareness about Australia’s leading cause of blindness, Age-Related Macular Degeneration (MD).29675 Picture: Stewart Chambers
By Kelly Yates
A BERWICK man is encouraging the community to have regular eye tests in an effort to raise awareness about Australia’s leading cause of blindness, Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).
Bill Coxhead, who was diagnosed with AMD at the age of 40, was born with cataracts due to a congenital condition caused by his mother having contracted Rubella during pregnancy.
The 44-year-old grew up learning to live with the condition, wearing “coke bottle glasses” from the age of eight and then contact lenses when he was 13.
“The distorted vision was that I saw straight lines as wavy ones,” he said. “I didn’t let it get in the way of my desires and wishes for a bright future.”
Mr Coxhead said that doctors were amazed that despite all the problems he had experienced since birth he was able to function with day to day tasks and continue working.
Mr Coxhead, who works in customer service and consulting for a corporate superannuation fund, has a passion for music and has continued to play the guitar during his treatments.
“Even after the problems with my eyesight I refused to give up, although at times it was frustrating not being able to see the guitar fretboard as a straight piece of wood,” he said.
Mr Coxhead visits the eye and ear hospital every two to three months for treatment.
His right eye has about 30 per cent vision, while his left eye has around 80 per cent.
Mr Coxhead said despite legally being able to drive, he stopped a couple of years ago due to safety reasons.
Casey residents over the age of 55 received free eye screening this week as the Australian-first eye health initiative, the Vision Van visited the Narre Warren Bowls Club.
The 15-minute checks used state-of-the-art facilities and screening methods.
According to research from the Macular Degeneration Foundation, around 500 Narre Warren residents are affected by AMD, with almost 4000 people at risk of the condition.
Mr Coxhead is urging others suffering from AMD to seek support from family and friends, and the medical community.
