As a wife, mom, grandmother, and nurse, Anita Chamberlain had always been the one paying attention to other people’s health. But her own diagnosis with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) caught her completely off guard.

“I didn’t even know I had an eye problem,” Anita said. “I just knew my eyes were getting a little blurry as I’m getting older.”

When her retinal specialist explained the diagnosis, it was a shock. “I was so thrown for a loop. … I wasn’t expecting it.”

Over time, as she learned more about the condition, she realized what she wished she’d known from the beginning. Here are three lessons Anita learned that have made her journey with AMD easier.

1. Don’t Compare Your Journey to Someone Else’s

One of Anita’s biggest lessons came after she’d spent time reading other people’s AMD stories online. “I wish everybody understood that everybody’s different,” she said. “Don’t look at somebody else’s story and go, ‘Oh my God,’ because I’ve done that. And to what purpose?”

Instead, she encourages people to remember that each case is unique. “Learn what you need to learn … so you have an idea of what you’re going to do if things take a turn for the worse. But realize that just because it happened to someone else, [it doesn’t mean] it’s going to happen to you.”

2. Listen to Your Body

For Anita, one of the most valuable skills has been learning to notice small changes. “Pay attention to your own body,” she said. “When things aren’t working right, pay attention to it and take some time to stop and think, what’s causing this?”

She sees her eye health as connected to her whole body’s well-being. “There is nothing independent of itself,” Anita explained. “If my blood sugar’s out of whack, it’s affecting everything. If I’m not feeling well, everything’s being affected. … It just reminds me that my eyes are not independent of themselves, that it all works together.”

The awareness that everything in her body is connected leads to some of Anita’s most urgent advice: “Take care of yourself, for goodness’ sake. You got one body, you don’t get do-overs on it, so just take care of yourself,” she said. “You can do this.”

3. Find the Right Specialist

Anita believes the right doctor can make a big difference in managing AMD. “Discuss it with a retinal specialist that you’re comfortable with,” she said. “Don’t go to someone that you feel is brushing you off or not giving you the time of day.”

Routine visits are part of her plan. “Typically they say you should go every six months. And I think all of us middle-aged and older folk should go and get our eyes checked anyway. I have often wondered if the reason I found out so early is just because I went for the routine.”

If you choose the right doctor, every visit is an opportunity to talk to a specialist who listens, answers questions, and stays informed about current research. “You want to find someone who listens to you, who doesn’t rush you. … What’s the most updated treatment that’s going on? What do you know about this? What do you know about that?”

Connect With Others Who Understand

On myAMDteam, people share their experiences with age-related macular degeneration, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

What do you wish you had known sooner about living with dry AMD? Let others know in the comments below.