Skip to main content
Macular Disease Foundation Australia
  • My Cart
  • Text Only
  • Listen
  • Print Page
  • Language
    • English
    • Arabic
    • Chinese
    • Greek
    • Italian
    • Portuguese
    • Spanish
    • Vietnamese
  • Search form

Check My Macula Check My Macula Join the Community Join the Community Order Free Information Order Free Information Call our helpline at 1800111709 Helpline
1800 111 709
Donate Donate
  • Home
  • Macular Disease
    • Macular Degeneration
      • About Macular Degeneration
      • What Happens?
      • Risk Factors
      • Prevention
      • Detection
      • Diagnosis
      • Treatment
      • Charles Bonnet Syndrome
      • Cataracts and Macular Degeneration
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • How The Eye Works
    • Diabetic Retinopathy
      • About Diabetic Retinopathy
      • About Diabetes
      • What Happens?
      • Risk Factors
      • Prevention
      • Detection
      • Diagnosis
      • Treatment
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Low Vision
      • Living with Low Vision
      • Carer and Family
      • Aids and Technology
      • Slips, Trips and Falls
      • Legal blindness
    • Other Macular Diseases
      • Best Disease
      • Macular Hole
      • Macular Pucker
      • Macular Telangiectasia
      • Myopic Macular Degeneration
      • Retinal Detachment
      • Retinitis Pigmentosa
      • Retinal Vein Occlusion
      • Stargardt Disease
      • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy (CSC)
      • Vitreomacular Traction Syndrome
    • Visit Eye Health Professional
      • Eye Injection Costs and Rebates
    • Macular Disease
      • Anti-VEGF injections for macular disease
  • Research
    • Research Grants Program
      • Research Grants Awarded
      • Research Grant Recipients
      • Apply for the 2021 MDFA Research Grants Program
      • Research Grants panel
    • Support Research
    • Understanding Research
    • Latest Research
      • Research News
      • MDFA Research
      • Macular Diseases
      • Social Impact
    • Research Updates
      • Annual Research Update
      • Weekly Research Updates for Professionals
    • Research studies
  • Resources
    • Macula Month 2020
      • Order Macula Month resources
    • Order Publications and Resources
    • Find a Healthcare Provider
    • Audio and Video
      • Audio
      • See My World podcast
      • Patient Voices
      • Videos
    • Aged care resources
  • News & Events
    • Newsletters
      • Vision Voice Newsletters
      • Subscribe to Newsletters
      • Archive
    • News
      • 2020 news
      • 2019 News
      • 2018 News
      • 2017 News
      • 2016 News
      • Archived News
    • Events & Activities
      • Community Events
      • Education Sessions
      • Events Calendar
    • Media Centre
      • Media Releases
  • Foundation
    • Organisation
      • History
      • Objectives
      • Guiding Principles
      • Annual Reports
      • Whistleblower Policy
      • Financial Statements
    • People
      • Patron
      • State Patrons / Representatives
      • Ambassadors
      • Foundation Board
      • Committees
      • State Chairs
      • National Research Advisor
    • Our Work
      • Awareness
      • Education
      • Support Services
      • Research
      • Representation
    • Support Us
      • Donate
      • Bequests
      • Fundraise
      • Volunteer
      • Friends of the Foundation
      • Sponsors and Supporters
      • Professional Friends
    • Contact Us
Listen
Macular Disease Foundation Australia
Check My Macula Macula Join the Community Join Us Order Free Information Free Info Donate Donate
Menu
  • My Cart
    • Language
      • English
      • Arabic
      • Chinese
      • Greek
      • Italian
      • Portuguese
      • Spanish
      • Vietnamese
    • Home
    • Macular Disease
      • Macular Degeneration
        • About Macular Degeneration
        • What Happens?
        • Risk Factors
        • Prevention
        • Detection
        • Diagnosis
        • Treatment
        • Charles Bonnet Syndrome
        • Cataracts and Macular Degeneration
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • How The Eye Works
      • Diabetic Retinopathy
        • About Diabetic Retinopathy
        • About Diabetes
        • What Happens?
        • Risk Factors
        • Prevention
        • Detection
        • Diagnosis
        • Treatment
        • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Low Vision
        • Living with Low Vision
        • Carer and Family
        • Aids and Technology
        • Slips, Trips and Falls
        • Legal blindness
      • Other Macular Diseases
        • Best Disease
        • Macular Hole
        • Macular Pucker
        • Macular Telangiectasia
        • Myopic Macular Degeneration
        • Retinal Detachment
        • Retinitis Pigmentosa
        • Retinal Vein Occlusion
        • Stargardt Disease
        • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy (CSC)
        • Vitreomacular Traction Syndrome
      • Visit Eye Health Professional
        • Eye Injection Costs and Rebates
      • Macular Disease
        • Anti-VEGF injections for macular disease
    • Research
      • Research Grants Program
        • Research Grants Awarded
        • Research Grant Recipients
        • Apply for the 2021 MDFA Research Grants Program
        • Research Grants panel
      • Support Research
      • Understanding Research
      • Latest Research
        • Research News
        • MDFA Research
        • Macular Diseases
        • Social Impact
      • Research Updates
        • Annual Research Update
        • Weekly Research Updates for Professionals
      • Research studies
    • Resources
      • Macula Month 2020
        • Order Macula Month resources
      • Order Publications and Resources
      • Find a Healthcare Provider
      • Audio and Video
        • Audio
        • See My World podcast
        • Patient Voices
        • Videos
      • Aged care resources
    • News & Events
      • Newsletters
        • Vision Voice Newsletters
        • Subscribe to Newsletters
        • Archive
      • News
        • 2020 news
        • 2019 News
        • 2018 News
        • 2017 News
        • 2016 News
        • Archived News
      • Events & Activities
        • Community Events
        • Education Sessions
        • Events Calendar
      • Media Centre
        • Media Releases
    • Foundation
      • Organisation
        • History
        • Objectives
        • Guiding Principles
        • Annual Reports
        • Whistleblower Policy
        • Financial Statements
      • People
        • Patron
        • State Patrons / Representatives
        • Ambassadors
        • Foundation Board
        • Committees
        • State Chairs
        • National Research Advisor
      • Our Work
        • Awareness
        • Education
        • Support Services
        • Research
        • Representation
      • Support Us
        • Donate
        • Bequests
        • Fundraise
        • Volunteer
        • Friends of the Foundation
        • Sponsors and Supporters
        • Professional Friends
      • Contact Us
  • Home
  • Foundation
  • Support Us
  • Friends of the Foundation
  • Denis Sutton
Back

Foundation

  • Organisation
    • History
    • Objectives
    • Guiding Principles
    • Whistleblower Policy
    • Annual Reports
    • Financial Statements
  • People
    • Patron
    • State Patrons / Representatives
      • Western Australian State Patron
      • Victorian State Patron
      • Tasmanian State Patron
      • South Australian Custodian of Vision
    • Ambassadors
      • Jean Kittson
      • Jan Utzon
    • Foundation Board
      • Robert Kaye
      • Brigadier John Fenwick
      • Richard Grills
      • Lisa Lusthaus
      • Imelda Lynch
      • Associate Professor Nitin Verma
      • Neil Wykes
    • Committees
    • State Chairs
    • National Research Advisor
  • Our Work
    • Awareness
      • Macula Month
        • mEYE World Photographic Competition
          • Winners
          • Categories
          • Prizes
          • Judges
          • Sponsors and Supporters
          • Frequently Asked Questions
          • Terms and Conditions
          • 2016 mEYE World Photographic Competition
          • 2015 mEYE World Photographic Competition
          • 2014 mEYE World Photographic Competition
          • 2013 mEYE World Photographic Competition
          • 2012 mEYE World Photographic Competition
        • Meet Mac De Gen
        • Television and radio
          • 2014 Macular Degeneration Advertising Campaign
        • Keep on Driving Safely campaign
        • World Sight Day
        • Vision Van
      • Education
      • Support Services
      • Research
      • Representation
        • Submissions
          • Archived submissions
        • Reports
          • Low Vision, quality of life and independence: Aids and Technologies review (2016)
          • Economic Impact of Diabetic Macular Oedema (2015)
          • Client Services Evaluation (Annual)
          • Ripple Effect of Vision Loss (2013)
          • Global Ageing & Vision Summit (2013)
          • Angiogenesis Foundation Paper (2012)
          • Eyes on the Future (2011)
          • Archived reports
        • Campaigns
          • Federal Election 2016
          • NDIS & Aged Care Reform
          • Commonwealth Home Support
          • Archived Campaigns
            • Diabetic macular edema
            • Pin-only credit cards
            • South Australian hospital crisis
            • Sight for Seniors
    • Support Us
      • Donate
      • Bequests
        • Enquire about Leaving a Bequest
      • Fundraise
        • Larapinta Challenge 2018
        • 50 Good Reasons to support Macular Degeneration
        • Enquire About Fundraising
      • Volunteer
        • Become a volunteer
      • Friends of the Foundation
        • Val Nicholson
        • Shane Dunbar-Reid
        • Helen Siemering
        • Susan Harvey
        • Mel Byrnes
        • Denis Sutton
        • Alicia Thompson
        • The earlier the better: Jessica Falon
        • Grant Family Fund: A lasting legacy to ‘best mates’
        • Through Her Eyes: A Tribute
        • Generational blindness from AMD
        • AMD: Know your family risk
        • A life changing, art changing diagnosis of AMD
        • Erin Philpot
        • Jean and Elaine Kittson
        • Nancy Little
        • Amanda Little
        • Cheryl O’Reilly
        • Anne Ness
        • Become a Friend of the Foundation
      • Sponsors and Supporters
        • Enquire About Supporting the Foundation
      • Professional Friends
        • Terms and Conditions
        • Become a Professional Friend - Ophthalmologists
        • Become a Professional Friend - Optometrists
    • Contact Us

    Denis Sutton

     
    It is unusual to see a wave the size of a mountain on the horizon, but that’s exactly what now retired north coast fisherman Denis Sutton saw back in 2014 as he was preparing for another day of mullet fishing. Even more unusual was that the wave shifted on the horizon every time Denis moved.
     
    In fact what Denis was seeing were changes taking place at the back of his right eye, which were threatening his sight, and these symptoms had been with him for a few days. 
     
    “A couple of nights before, when I was logging into my computer, I’d noticed the lines on the screen curved up at one end. I thought maybe it was a blood vessel that had burst or something and it would go away… it came on so quickly; to be honest I was a bit frightened,” said Denis. 
     
    “The next day my wife Joy was at me to see someone about it, but me being me, I thought it would right itself.”
     
    Fortunately, Denis saw an advert in the local paper for Macular Disease Foundation Australia and decided to call. 
     
    After Denis described his symptoms, the first thing he was told was 'you’re not going fishing today; you’ve got to see an optometrist immediately”. Denis wasn’t keen to follow this instruction as he didn’t want to let the fishing crew down. In the end though, an appointment was made. 
     
    “Once I’d been seen by my optometrist in Macksville, the same thing happened. I was told, “you’ve got to get to Coffs Harbour (50km away) for treatment today’, I wasn’t given a choice,” said Denis. 
     
    These days Denis admits it was just as well that he followed orders. “I had my first treatment for wet macular degeneration in Coffs Harbour that afternoon. A few months later, and once I’d had a couple of treatments, my ophthalmologist told me I was very lucky. I’d have been blind in that eye if I hadn’t seen him when I did.” 
     
    Instead, with regular treatment, Denis has still had great vision and this has allowed him to enjoy his retirement to the full.
     
    “Once I’d had a couple of treatments, my ophthalmologist told me I was very lucky. I’d have been blind in that eye if I hadn’t seen him when I did.”
    Share this article
    Select Your Type?
     
     
     
    • Home
    • Macular Disease
    • Research
    • Resources
    • News & Events
    • Foundation

    Contact Us

    1800 111 709
    info@mdfoundation.com.au
    Suite 902, Level 9, 447 Kent Street, Sydney 2000

    Follow Us

    acnc_logo_reverse.png


    Helpline 1800 111 709

    Donate

    Macular Disease Foundation Australia ABN 52096255177
    • Privacy Policy
    • Site Map
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Disclaimer