# Glenn Beck has Macular Degeneration **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 26, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098 "2010-07-26T20:59:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/41 "2010-07-27T13:01:22Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > There are none so blind as those who will not see. > > (I was already going to hell anyway. Might as well get my money’s worth.) I’m on the same bus. I can honestly say that all I have seen of Glenn Beck is what appeared as I was channel surfing. In the moment that his face, voice and demeanor were visible on my screen I was appalled that a human being could be so crass and stupid. I found the Onion clip on YouTube to be hilarious as satire/parody/putdown and still feel that way. I don’t wish him ill and I suspect if he were to lose his slot on TV someone equally vile and reprehensible would take his place. That’s the way of the divisive news media these days. Gone are the Edward R. Murrow types. Now we have screamers, liars and muckrakers. I’m just fine without them. Glenn Beck is merely a symbol of media gone wild, and the best I can feel about it is mild contempt. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/42 "2010-07-27T13:14:54Z")
> [@Cinebar](#): > > Doesn’t Beck admit to putting something in his eyes to “make” him cry - Vick’s Vaporub or something? > > Would that have anything to do with his condition? He may not admit to it, but [he does.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m692Tqbnbxo) I’m by no means qualified to say, but I’d be surprised if this contributed to his disease. I wouldn’t want to go blind. I wouldn’t want to wish that on anyone. Beck may be such a dick that even the douchebags call him a douchebag. But I’d rather see him stricken blind by a righteous God than by some disease. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/43 "2010-07-27T13:30:05Z")
Ironic that the two biggest blowhards of the Right, Beck and Limbaugh are Deaf and Going Blind. Hmmmm. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/44 "2010-07-27T13:34:48Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > Ironic that the two biggest blowhards of the Right, Beck and Limbaugh are Deaf and Going Blind. > > Hmmmm. Now if only Hannity would go mute… ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/45 "2010-07-27T13:38:43Z")
> [@Cinebar](#): > > Doesn’t Beck admit to putting something in his eyes to “make” him cry - Vick’s Vaporub or something? > > Would that have anything to do with his condition? Maybe if he applied the stuff to his fingers and then jammed them into his eyeballs. Otherwise, I doubt it. [As you can see, the macula is near the back of the eye.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macula_of_retina) If he was getting the Vicks in there he’d be blind already. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/46 "2010-07-27T13:41:52Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > > [@BigT](#): > > > > That’s the reason why this Christian concept is superior: rather than getting in an escalation group, you learn not to just walk away (which only sometimes works), but to use your ability to love to diffuse the situation itself before it even starts. > > 😕 But, that’s **not** what Jesus would do. At least, he never acted like that in the Gospels. The only episode that comes close was the woman taken in adultery, and he defused that with guilt-tripping, not love. And even that story is widely believed to be a later addition to the Gospels. The earliest versions of the Bible don’t contain it. Compare and contrast with Jesus and the money-changers. Christ was all about tough love when it was needed. There’s nothing in Christianity that’s antithetical to taking a stand against those who attack and oppress you. ---
**Author:** ![Cinebar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Cinebar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinebar)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/47 "2010-07-27T14:48:13Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Maybe if he applied the stuff to his fingers and then jammed them into his eyeballs. Otherwise, I doubt it. [As you can see, the macula is near the back of the eye.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macula_of_retina) . Kind of like what my son did to his left eye three years ago, just before his 17th birthday. Not with his fingers but a freak fishing accident. He was fishing for catfish at night and he thought he had a bite. He pulled back to set his hook and the line came flying out of the water and sent the three little weights into his eye. They slipped behind his eyeball; he actually pulled them out himself (later describing to the eye specialist the sound - “pop, pop, pop” - they made coming out). He was with his girlfriend and her brother and they took him to the emergency room; I got one of those middle of the night calls every parent dreads. He suffered permanent retinal damage and now has only peripheral vision in that eye. :eek: Oh, and in hindsight, he says what he thought was a bite was probably more likely a bat hitting his line. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/48 "2010-07-27T16:15:40Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > > [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > > > Ironic that the two biggest blowhards of the Right, Beck and Limbaugh are Deaf and Going Blind. > > > > Hmmmm. > > Now if only Hannity would go mute… Trifecta! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/49 "2010-07-27T16:42:40Z")
And the moral is: Don’t put anything in your eyes (other than over-the-counter eyedrops) without advice from your physician or optometrist. ---
**Author:** ![Lubricious\_Integument](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/82dd89/32.png) [@Lubricious\_Integument](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lubricious_Integument)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/50 "2010-07-27T19:14:49Z")
Maybe Beck could try homeopathy. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/C0c5yClip4o/hqdefault.jpg "Homeopathy with Dr. Werner") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0c5yClip4o) (It is a long clip but worth every second!) ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/51 "2010-07-27T19:39:06Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > There’s nothing in Christianity that’s antithetical to taking a stand against those who attack and oppress you. Except the whole Sermon on the Mount thing: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.” ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/52 "2010-07-27T19:51:26Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > > [@Duke](#): > > > > There’s nothing in Christianity that’s antithetical to taking a stand against those who attack and oppress you. > > Except the whole Sermon on the Mount thing: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.” Ah, but there’s a difference between not taking vengeance against those who attack you personally, and to stand firm when your people are being oppressed. ---
**Author:** ![MaureenD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MaureenD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaureenD)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/53 "2010-07-27T20:30:22Z")
I’ve made a couple of blog posts about Glenn Beck’s eye diagnosis, from my perspective as a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist and Editorial Director of [VisionAWARE.org](http://VisionAWARE.org), a vision loss web site. Maybe they can help answer a few questions: [http://visionaware.blogspot.com/2010/07/glenn-beck-explained-sort-of.html](http://visionaware.blogspot.com/2010/07/glenn-beck-explained-sort-of.html) [http://visionaware.blogspot.com/2010/07/glenn-beck-again-what-about.html](http://visionaware.blogspot.com/2010/07/glenn-beck-again-what-about.html) ---
**Author:** ![Cinebar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Cinebar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinebar)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/54 "2010-07-27T20:41:51Z")
Interesting reading, Maureen. Thanks for posting that; it gives me a little more insight into my son’s situation. Standing in a retinal specialist’s office and getting my son’s prognosis (nothing can be done…maybe “some day”) didn’t give me the same understanding of the situation as I got from reading what you wrote. My son does pretty well, although he seems to be somewhat prone to headaches, especially if he spends much time under fluorescent lighting. And, they told him he couldn’t drive the forklift at work anymore - too many close calls. :eek: I am going to send him the links you posted. ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/55 "2010-07-27T20:51:02Z")
Has he figured out how to blame it on Obama yet? ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/56 "2010-07-27T20:58:43Z")
> [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](#): > > Has he figured out how to blame it on Obama yet? This happened as a result of HCR eroding the quality of healthcare in America. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/57 "2010-08-05T20:22:32Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > > [@AWB](#): > > > > I’m reminded of the news that Rush Limbaugh was losing his hearing. > > Rush says he’s ‘100%, totally deaf’. Not fair. We can still hear _him._ ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/58 "2010-08-05T20:59:02Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Nice to see such tolerance and compassion from the left wing. I thought conservatives were supposed to be the mean-spirited ones? Since Beck spreads evil and increases suffering in the world, consider the happiness over his illness simply analogous to dismantling a nuke, or catching a serial killer and throwing him in jail ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/59 "2010-08-05T21:22:09Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > > [@Cinebar](#): > > > > Do we even know for a fact it’s true? > > > > I wouldn’t put it past Beck (or Blech) to make this up for some sort of personal gain - publicity, profit, or sympathy. > > I started to write a post that he could be saying he has macular dystrophy now, and then claim to be healed later. A week before the election, maybe, as a blessing from God and a sign that we should all vote for Michele Bachman, or something. > > But I didn’t post it. Rush Limbaugh took heat for mocking Michael J. Fox, and saying that he was exaggerating his symptoms for political advantage. It’s a low blow, and I won’t make the same charge against Beck. You wouldn’t be. Limbaugh mocked Michael Fox because Fox spoke out against Bush Doctrine re: stifling medical research for the sake of the votes of the superstitious. Limbaugh attacked him because Fox criticized policies that cannot be defended. You’d be attacking Beck because he’s a vile sonofabitch who poisons the public discourse with right-wing garbage, not because he made a point you cannot refute. So have at it. I don’t agree with his message or his methods, and I think he damages the public discourse in this country. But if he loses his vision, that’s a tragedy, and I wish him the best. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Surbey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098/60 "2010-08-06T16:54:02Z")
oh no! He’s really going blind? Who’ll count his gold… All kidding aside, screw him. Lot’s of people are blind; he’ll be fine. He won’t die, he’ll just be blind.This pompous wind-bag will do just find hating on blacks and socialists for years to come with or without his vision. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-has-macular-degeneration/548098.md?page=2)