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July 20, 2010
Glenn Beck shared with his Salt Lake City American Revival tour audience, that he was diagnosed with macular dystrophy, a genetic and degenerative eye disease.
The popular conservative radio and television personality broke down when he revealed his love of reading and the potential loss of that love, should the disease result in blindness. He quickly regained his composure, and joked that his main concern was that he might be too lazy to learn braille.
Beck relayed that he recently had been unable to focus his eyes and went to a Lenscrafter store for help. The employee who checked his eyesight told him that he may be going blind. Beck followed up with a prominent ophthalmologist who diagnosed the disease and told him that the disease could progress to blindness within the year, or it might not.
An Ophthalmology chairman, Dr. Douglas R. Lazzaro, explained that this disease is causing a degeneration of Beck's retinas, and stated that he may become legally blind,
Put it this way, (when you are legally blind) you can’t drive, and it may be difficult to read without magnification tools. It impacts your life, but usually patients retain some vision with these diseases."
There is no cure for macular dystrophy.
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Comments
Whatever someone's feelings about Glenn Beck, it is sad to learn about this happening to anyone.
No, not 'anyone'. Better him than someone who can't afford 24-hour day care. He'll have to give up the TV show and the chalkboard and stick to radio. Good riddance from some of the airwaves.
I used to really enjoy his radio show, back when he was funny. It's sad to hear about anyone losing their eyesight, but I'm thinking Glenn has the resources to commission audio books of whatever he wants. Then he'll figure out how to turn a profit on it buy selling copies of the audio books to us. It might crimp his style as a TV host, but radio won't matter. This won't stop him, or even slow him down.
I am legally blind due to a similar disease known as RP. I am also very liberal and don't like Beck at all, but I wouldn't wish this one anyone, especially someone who has to change their life drastically due to vision loss. If Beck's vision declines quickly, he will have a ton of adjusting to do, but he won't be in a situation where he'd have to leave his shows or anything. I doubt it will slow him down, if anything, if he is effected by it quickly, it may help him relate to what people like myself have gone through our whole lives. My visual impairment is what has shaped me into the person I am. The liberal I am. Also, no one reads braille anymore, if he has a computer, he'll be fine. My computer reads to me, as does my cell phone. Things are getting easier with the expansion of tech and adaptive devices.
Although Beck's views and mine are completely opposite, I do not wish blindness on anyone. He has my sympathy.
His diagnosis is bringing awareness that other sufferers needed.
My prayers are with him, even though we don't agree on many subjects. God will guide his hand.
Whatver happens, Glenn will go on with his life, TV show, radio show because he's not a quitter. I have the utmost respect for this man. Listen to him with an open heart. How can talk about helping each other, loving each other, having honor in our lives and living it possibly be offensive? I believe in God and Jesus, and I believe he's right when he says we need to turn back to God. God will help him through this as well as the prayers of millions of people. I hope you can find it in your hearts to pray for him.
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