You will be setting yourself up for disappointment. Just as a person with a hip or knee replacement does not go out dancing after their medical treatment - a person with vision deterioration also does not go out and read immediately after medical treatment. All our lives we went to the eye doctor and got glasses or contact lenses and walked away seeing fine. This old expectation is hard to break and we must realize our eyes have some permanent damage and we will have to develop new strategies to see. Many people, however, do see some immediate gains during their first low vision appointment.
Family members are often times very encouraged by how their family member can read.
With the help of a low vision professional, the person with macular degeneration, or another eye condition, is able to spot tiny print or read a short amount of material from the newspaper during their appointment. Then, after returning home, the person realizes that what was accomplished for a short duration cannot be sustained at home. This realization can be discouraging, and some want to give up. This back and forth response is very normal. That is, in a rehabilitation process, a person will always show gains, followed by a set back.