Macular Degeneration

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wakeupnow666

Active Member
Aug 5, 2012
41
5
I was at the eye doctor again recently (bad eye sight. All that reading, television, and movies over the years, ha), when I recalled Stephen's famous diagnosis of Macular Degeneration. I forget what I first learned about this diagnosis as a fan of his work and his person (I am 33 now and got into his work at age 10 while on a family vacation/trip to Moosehead Lake in Maine, where I learned about The Famous Horror Writer Who Lived in Maine). We were motorboating and we passed a delipidated, abandoned hotel building on an abandoned island, when my mother noted it resembled The Overlook from The Shining. Like out of a horror novel, it soon became dark and gloomy out- a storm was coming. Lightning and thunder came on queue. Yes, I was instantly hooked. Who wouldn't be? It was my first time in Maine. (My father works in the paper industry and his company at the time was based out of Bangor, Maine, which gave King an added allure. For King's reference, it was Lincoln Pulp and Paper). As King once famously stated (or stole? great writer's steal) "get them while they are young." Boy, did he! I am his prisoner, to paraphrase the name of a game my father used to play with me as a child. ("Your My Prisoner").

It occurred to me that since many of King's best work has been inspired by real life fears , or realistic fears (Pet Cemetary, Misery, and so forth), and that many of his protagonists are Writers (write what you know!). As an aspiring writer myself (thanks Uncle Stevie!) and a near life-time Constant Reader of his work, it seemed obvious to me that King may benefit from working out his real life diagnosis and/or fears of Macular Degeneration- a fear that must be terrifying for a writer and life long reader,etc as King himself is- and is quite relatable. A family friend herself has it. It is quite scary. Her symptoms have already degenerated.

The immediate association I have with this disorder is the famous Twilight Zone episode where the man who loves to read finally has all the time in the world to read - but his glasses break, and alas, he can't. I'm sure King is familiar with it.

I suppose with audio books and speech dictating devices reading and writing would still be possible, and like the film My Left Foot artistry cannot be stopped if one has a will and a way. Plus the idea of .... only being able to see from the corners of one's eyes... opens up strange vistas (to reference Lovecraft, whom I was introduced to due to King's influence on my reading habits) of exploration for the genre of the supernatural and horror, where the strange and unusual is open for questioning. "What if?" one begins to see things that one didn't notice before- that were perhaps ALWAYS there, that regular sight had prohibited you from seeing before. That regular sight had blinded you from? Like The Ten O'Clock People (except without the smoking bit). What if one begins to see like a bat- radar vision? Or a form of "Second Sight"? That one begins to see Things-- Horrifying Things- that not only were Always There.... but they might just eat you, like the Langoliers. This idea has been explored in King's work before- the blind singer and friend of Henry Leyden in Black House had extrasensory powers due to his lack of sight. It's an interesting topic. The sixth sense enhanced due to inhibited normal senses. ...and what what finds with that ability. Dead people?

I dunno, I think this would be a fascinating topic for King to consider exploring. it might be too terrifying a topic for him to consider; but that is exactly where the power of this story lies. As a fan of his work, if he got up to writing such a novel on this topic, I would definitely raise and eyebrow and want to take a look. It also may allow him to face a very real fear he has, one of which as a fan of his work and admirer of his person, have been concerned about.

I'm not sure if the title "Macular Degeneration" would sell- then again, I'd imagine quite a few people would read that and go 'what the hell is THAT?" Curiousity raised. So sometimes you name a spade a spade. Macular Degeneration IS scary. My neighbor in my building has it. I always have to warn her when I'm coming up from behind her. Regardless, she always jumps in fright. It must be a totally different world to live in.

I do not know how King takes suggestions of this sort, but after visiting the eye doctor a week or two back, this topic for a novel seemed too obvious for me NOT to pass onto King via this message board (I've been lurking on and off since age 13 or so... ah, memories).

Aside from all that, I wish King continued health and continued joy from his love of reading and writing. His love is one that the world at large appreciates, as he does pay it forward, and the world will never forget his contribution to the horror genre, and literature (and the movies) at large. A new novel of his is always a celebration of sorts, an annual (let's not kid ourselves, often bi-annual or more) ritual. A Danse Macabre.

Thanks, Uncle Stevie.

I would definitely read a horror novel about this subject by King- and not only that, I believe it could help raise awareness about This Terrible Affliction- and perhaps even, to help find a cure.

Constant Reader
 

FlakeNoir

Original Kiwi© SKMB®
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
44,082
175,641
New Zealand
Welcome to the site, good to have you here. :)

In our FAQ, there is a response from Stephen to the question of whether he has Macular Degeneration:

No, I have a predisposition--and it's a genetic thing--to macular degeneration and that's a disease you can read about on the internet. It eventually results in blind spots and a loss of vision but I don't have any of the symptoms yet-just that predisposition and I think it's something that I may have to face in the future, but, no, I'm not going blind.

I am not sure whether he has had any symptoms occur since the above response was first written.

Your story idea sounds good, but unfortunately Stephen doesn't accept story ideas from folks, sorry.