Would you rather lose your hearing or your eyesight?
By sjohnson628
@sjohnson628 (3197)
United States
May 17, 2007 12:27pm CST
I am asking this because my aunt has been diagnosed with Macular Degeneration. It is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in people over sixty-five years of age and older.
She has had two procedures done (one on each eye)to help correct this but has lost her peripheral vision (the ability to see objects and movement outside of the direct line of vision) in one eye and now in the other eye she is
seeing flashes. (somewhat like when one sees a shooting star.)
I was talking to her on the phone today and she's scared. She is seventy years old and very active. Loves the computer and still works.
She made an appointment to see her Dr. today too see what more can be done to help correct this. She told me she doesn't know what she will do if she should lose her eyesight completely. And then she said she would rather lose her hearing.
I had to agree with her. If it came right down to it I think I would rather lose my hearing than my eyesight.
What about others? Sight or hearing? Unfortunately she doesn't have a choice in the matter.
If any one's interested in learning more about this here is a link.
http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/amd.htm
12 people like this
42 responses
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
17 May 07
I am not sure which I would rather lose. My aunt was starting to go blind because of MS and diabetes. I love to hear the birds sing and I love to hear my husband's voice. But the on the other hand I love to see the birds and I love to see my husband's face. I don't know which would be the greater loss. That is a very tough question.
2 people like this
@sjohnson628 (3197)
• United States
17 May 07
Your response just sent shills through me very touching and thanks for responding.
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
17 May 07
I am very sorry to hear about your aunt. I would have to agree with both of you also about the hearing and the eyesight. I would much rather be able to see things than I would to hear things. You can always have someone write things down for you to read since you cannot hear. If you cannot see though, then you cannot read or write or see anything at all. It would be hard for me to enjoy any of life if I could not see things. I hope your aunt heals well. Good luck.
@sjohnson628 (3197)
• United States
17 May 07
That's a good point steph if you can't see you can't do much and she loves being on the computer in her spare time.
1 person likes this
@nonew3 (1941)
• United States
18 May 07
By the way, there is screen-reading software for the computer. Jaws I think is one of them. And, she might want to get in contact with the National Federation of the Blind for information on how to cope with losing one's eyesight. They are really great for that.
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
17 May 07
I am so sorry to read this about your Aunt and of course the poor woman is scared I think anyone would be
Like your Aunt and like you I would rather loose my hearing then my Sight
I really hope that there might be something that can be done for her I really do
@mflower2053 (3223)
• United States
17 May 07
I would rather lose my hearing. I know my husband would say the samething then he wouldn't have to listen to me. I hate not being able to see now without my glasses. You can always learn how to communicate with people when your deaf.
2 people like this
@katkat3 (425)
•
18 May 07
Hi... I think I would have to agree with you on that one... I'd rather loose my hearing (I'd be able to get some peace and quiet!) No seriously I really couldn't handle not being able to see, because I can be quite an artistic person - where would I be without my eyes!? :0)
@sjohnson628 (3197)
• United States
24 May 07
Me too I would not be able to live without my eyesight!
@jogie_bien (1103)
• Philippines
22 May 07
both are difficult.But i prefer to lose my hearing than my eyesight.I think with out eyesight its very difficult to move and its like your are nothing in this world.But for hearing you cannot hear what they will saying to you, but they can still communicate with you by writing what they want to tell.but for eyesight you need someone to accompany you.
i am sorry to hear that with your auntie, i hope all is ok with her.god bless!
1 person likes this
@sjohnson628 (3197)
• United States
24 May 07
Everyone that responded said they would rather los their hearing than sight. And you are number 48! Thanks!
@disvachic (10117)
• United States
20 May 07
Hi,I am sorry to hear about your aunt.I think I would rather loose my hearing.I feel I would get around better.
1 person likes this
@samtaylorskykierajen (7977)
• Canada
18 May 07
I would be horrified if I lost either of them as they are both so important in life but if I had to choose between them then I would have to choose keeping my eyesight as I can't imagine not being able to see my children every day . It would be very hard not to hear their sweet voices and the cute way they say it though . With your eyesight you can still see everything around you and all the wonder sights like you mentioned . With not being able to hear you could still manage to do everything pretty much the same you just wouldn't be able to hear anything around you whereas if you lost your eyesight you would have to learn a whole new way of doing things .
1 person likes this
@sensesfail (2251)
• India
18 May 07
I think i'd rather stay blind that be deaf cuz being deaf is even more harsh and pityful.I'm shortsighted,so i'm used to not seeing things clearly.Its not all that bad.But not being able to hear somethings--thats a nightmare that i wish it doesn't come true.
My grandmother once had trouble with hers ears and she really had a tough time managing it.Thank God she's alright now.So i know how it is to not be able to hear things.
@lani0529 (1722)
• Philippines
20 May 07
Hi there!(",)
This is a tough decision to make. If I have a chance to decide I would rather not lose the two, my eyesight and sense of hearing, but since I have to choose between the two, I think I have to give up my hearing. It's okay if I can't hear as long as I can see. I don't like being in the dark. It feels so empty when you can't see. If its hearing that I will lose, then I can just learn sign language to communicate with others.(",)
Great day to you! Best regards to your aunt. Hope she is coping well. God bless!
@keithstieneke (823)
• Lincoln, Nebraska
18 May 07
I really don't want to lose either but if I had my choice and had to lose one or the other I think that I would be my hearing. As long as I can still see the computer and type I am fine.
@michael_harvard1010 (262)
• Philippines
18 May 07
for me i rather lose my hearing than my eyesight because for me if you lost your eyesight this is like you will not see the wonders of the world and its beauty i rather not to hear anything around me rather than experiencing total darkness i will not forgive my self if thats happen. sometimes i'm wondering or i'm just imagining myself what it looks like if i lose my eye sight and i suddenly i felt a little bit nervous about that because the of person whose afraid or have a phobia in the dark. but i admiring those peoples who has lost their eyesight the reason why admiring them because they have a strong sensivity with regards the things around them they can easily detect if someone around them and they can know if they were fooled by the people around them...
1 person likes this
@michelemri (92)
• United States
18 May 07
I am very sorry to hear about your aunt, I know how hard it was when my grandma loss just partial sight and hearing, I would have been awful to lose it all. If I had to choose for myself I would rather lose hearing, though I would miss sopund I think I would miss my sight mush more. Hopefully this fate does not befall any of us
1 person likes this
@jbb316 (1779)
• United States
18 May 07
I would rather lose my hearing. My grandmother lost her eye sight and I saw what it did to her and it was just terrible. She couldn't function because she couldn't see. Simple things like picking out her own clothes, cooking, cleaning, painting her nails, watching tv. She couldn't do these things. She couldn't even bathe without assistance and it made her very depressed. Then when she had great grand kids she was even more depressed because she couldn't see what the babies looked like. She didn't know if someone was standing right in front of her. She couldn't stay alone. It was awful. But when she lost her sight her other senses improved. So I bet if someone lost their hearing then the other senses would improve and maybe it wouldn't be so bad. I think hearing loss is something that could be adjusted to.
1 person likes this
@emilieespino (963)
• Philippines
18 May 07
I also would rather lose my hearing, as it can be remedied by a hearing aid. Also, one can simply study lip reading. I feel sorry for your aunt. I hope she is seeing a really good doctor.
@happybabe (206)
• China
18 May 07
I am sorry to hear that.As for me,I will choose the latter just like your aunt and you .Although,making any choice is not a perfect thing,she had to do it.Good luck for her!
@aerialitis (104)
•
18 May 07
Losing your sight when your older would be very traumatic,its bad enough just getting old with all the problems associated with old age.
@castleghost (1304)
• United States
18 May 07
I am sorry that your poor aunt is having to go through this. I have to agree with the both of you. Life would be easier to go through with the loss of hearing then it would be to lose your eyesight. One would still be able to communicate through reading but when you lose your sight there is no real way to make up the loss.
1 person likes this
