Macular Degeneration: What you need to know

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor II Nguyen Thai Hung - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International Hospital.

With macular degeneration, the patient's vision will decrease, the world around will become blurred and distorted. Although macular degeneration in the eyes does not cause pain, but once infected, it is very difficult to recover, the patient's life is greatly affected.

The macula (also called the macula of the eye) is a deep part of the retina in the center of the retina. This is the most sensitive area of ​​the retina, where millions of sensory cells are concentrated, playing an important role in image acquisition, helping to perceive color and sharpness of images. The macula is important for central vision.
Macular degeneration, also known as macular degeneration, is the degeneration of macular cells, making the eyes lose the ability to see details in the center of vision, making vision reduced, images are seen blurred, distorted. distorted, deformed. Macular degeneration does not cause complete blindness, the patient's surrounding vision is still normal, but the ability to read, drive, color recognition, contrast is seriously impaired. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in the world, accounting for approximately 50% of all cases of visual impairment.

There are two types of macular degeneration: dry macular degeneration and wet macular degeneration. Both of these forms begin in the layer of cells that nourish the retina (Retinal Pigment Epthelium (RPE).
2.1 Dry macular degeneration is the most common form, accounting for 85-90% of macular degeneration cases. The disease develops gradually, when the cells that nourish the retina die, the retinal cells above also die, the retinal patches will disappear. The disease usually appears and progresses silently for 5 to 10 years before visual impairment occurs.
2.2 Wet macular degeneration Wet macular degeneration accounts for only 10-15% of cases, but the nature of the disease is often severe, the patient's vision is suddenly and severely reduced in a short time. Wet macular degeneration develops when new blood vessels thrive under the retina, which can bleed and leak fluid, causing scarring of the retina, causing rapid loss of central vision. The observed image is distorted, straight lines can be seen as curves, blind spots appear in the central vision, hallucinations, if left untreated, the blind spots will become larger and larger.

Both wet and dry macular degeneration do not cause eye symptoms. The earliest sign of dry macular degeneration is blurred vision, the patient will have difficulty reading, driving or doing things that require high accuracy. Blurry vision usually disappears as the light source becomes more intense. If dry macular degeneration occurs in only one eye, the patient will not notice a change in vision because the other eye can still see clearly, the patient will still see well as usual until the disease develops in the other eye. both eyes.
The first and most common sign of wet macular degeneration is seeing straight lines like a window but seeing curves or waves. There may be a small blind spot that causes loss of central vision.
However, because there is no complete loss of vision, people with macular degeneration can still take care of themselves, without depending on others.

Macular degeneration of the eye usually occurs in the elderly. Age is the biggest risk factor for macular degeneration, about 10-12% of people over 65 years old have macular degeneration, the rate of people over 75 years old is 30%. Women are twice as likely to get the disease as men. Women with early menopause have a higher risk of macular degeneration. Other risks include:
Race: people with light skin are more likely to get macular degeneration than people with dark skin. Family history: A person has a higher risk of macular degeneration if there is a close family member with the disease. If someone in your family has macular degeneration, lifestyle adjustments should be made to reduce other risks. Smoking: Smoking doubles the risk of macular degeneration. The results of many studies can conclude that cigarette smoke can cause age-related macular degeneration. Obesity: obesity increases the risk of macular degeneration, in addition, some studies have shown an association between obesity and the development of macular degeneration in the eyes from early to advanced stages. . People with a high-fat diet have an increased risk of wet macular degeneration. Excessive exposure to the sun: if you often work outdoors without protection, ultraviolet rays will speed up the process of macular degeneration. Using a lot of electronic devices: Some recent studies show that blue light from mobile phones, computers, televisions, ... is the cause of macular degeneration faster. Macular degeneration is no longer a disease of the elderly, the age of the sufferers is getting younger.

Macular degeneration does not bring pain, but when the disease is severe, it will cause vision loss, affecting the patient's life. Vision once reduced will not be restored, treatments are only aimed at slowing the progression of the disease. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to preventive measures.
To prevent macular degeneration in the eyes, should follow a nutritious diet, eat lots of fish and omega-rich foods, eat rich in fresh fruits, dark green leafy vegetables, supplement with vitamins and minerals and antioxidants. When going out in the sun, wear sunglasses to protect your eyes. The most important thing is to adjust the habits and time of using electronic devices such as phones, televisions, laptops, tablets,...
Specialist II Nguyen Thai Hung with 13 years of experience is Doctor treating eye diseases at C Hospital Da Nang and Ngu Hanh Son General Hospital - Da Nang. Currently working as an Ophthalmologist at the Inter-specialty Clinic of Medical Examination - Internal Medicine, Vinmec International General Hospital Da Nang.