The letters look wobbly and curvy, but are they 'yellow degeneration'?
Sep 27, 2024
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The macula is the place where the most light-receiving cells are gathered, and has a yellowish color with a diameter of about 1.5 mm. It is responsible for 90% of vision and is responsible for distinguishing colors and making things look distinct.
The exact cause has not yet been determined. However, age, genetic predisposition, cardiovascular disease, smoking, hypercholesterolemia, UV exposure, and low blood antioxidant concentration are pointed out as risk factors. In particular, it is known that it is showing a rapid increase after the age of 75.
Professor Yoon Joon-myung of the Catholic University of Korea's Incheon St. Mary's Hospital said, `Often when you get older, you can suspect macular degeneration if you experience symptoms such as blurry eyes, curved objects, and dark appearance in the middle of your visionHe warned that vision loss caused by senile eye diseases such as macular degeneration can increase the risk of dementia, falls, and depression, adversely affecting the overall quality of life. With the help of Professor Junmyeong Yoon, we summarized the prevention and management of 'yellow degeneration'.
◇ When macular degeneration appears, it is difficult to recover the previous vision... Early self-examination is important
The number of patients with macular degeneration in Korea is increasing rapidly. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of people who visited hospitals with macular degeneration in Korea increased 148.1% and 290,000 over the past four years from 204,471 in 2019 to 497,338 in 2023. By age group, △70s 36.4%, △60s 30.1%, △80s and older 22.8%, etc., accounted for 89.3% of the total. In other words, 9 out of 10 patients with macular degeneration are in their 60s or older.
When macular degeneration occurs, symptoms of central dark spots in which the face is not visible but only the arms and legs are visible when looking at a person during vision loss, transformation, or when looking at a person. In the beginning, letters or straight lines appear to be shaken or curved, and symptoms appear that one part of the text is not visible when reading, and eventually vision is reduced. However, symptoms rarely appear in the early stages, so they are often not well known. In addition, if macular degeneration occurs in only one eye, the patient does not realize the symptoms by relying on the opposite eye, which is still normal, and only visits the hospital after vision loss occurs in the other eye.
Professor Yoon Jun-myung said, `Catars that turn blurry in the lens can be recovered when treated, but macular degeneration is difficult to restore previous vision once vision impairment begins"This is because the macula is composed of optic nerve cells and does not regenerate once it dies."
This does not mean that not all macular degeneration patients lose sight. If it is detected early and treated before structural damage to the macula is caused, most of them can maintain vision that does not interfere with daily life. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to detect and treat macular degeneration before irreversible vision damage occurs through regular self-examination. Also, don't forget to see a retinologist regularly after you are diagnosed. Adjustable factors such as obesity and smoking, known as risk factors for macular degeneration, should also be reduced.
◇ If the board looks bent, an abnormal signal... We need to slow down aging through smoking cessation and exercise
Yellow degeneration is largely divided into dry (non-exudative) and wet (exudative). It is the habit that is dangerous. Wet macular degeneration has a poor prognosis and risks loss of vision. Treatment is absolutely necessary. Dry macular degeneration, which accounts for 80–90% of all macular degeneration, does not cause severe vision loss, but can progress to wet macular degeneration.
Macular degeneration can be checked to some extent by looking at a paper with many horizontal and vertical lines like a checkerboard with one eye. If something looks bent, it's a sign that there's something wrong. It is also a good idea to look at the numbers on the calendar from a certain distance once a week. If there are any abnormal signs, visit the hospital and check for the onset through angiography and photo-interference ocular tomography.
In order to prevent macular degeneration, it is important to slow down the oxidative action that occurs with age. Smoking and regular exercise are helpful, and it is recommended to avoid instant foods or foods high in fat. It is also recommended to eat a Mediterranean diet such as green and yellow vegetables rich in antioxidant vitamins, blue-backed fish, and nuts. Studies have also shown that the intake of antioxidants that help eye health and zinc, lutein, and zeaxanthin lowers the risk of progression of macular degeneration and reduces the risk of wet macular degeneration.
Professor Yoon Jun-myung said, `In the case of the elderly, if their vision suddenly deteriorates or things look dented and the middle of their vision is black, they should immediately seek an ophthalmologist for examination"Regular ophthalmic examinations are essential, especially if you are 60 years of age or older and have risk factors such as obesity, smoking, and a family history of macular degeneration."
※5 lifestyle habits that help with eye health
- Blink your eyes frequently
-Maintaining proper humidity
-Do not direct the air conditioner to the eye
-Wearing sunglasses in the strong sunlight
-Putting Blue Light Blocking Film on
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