What are the four major retinal diseases that even young people can't feel safe about?
Sep 23, 2024
September 28th is 「World Retinal Day」 enacted by the International Retinal Union. The retina is an important organ that detects light and recognizes objects like a camera film, and if damaged, it can cause vision problems and lead to blindness. Retinal diseases are known to be the main cause of aging, but due to recent westernized changes in eating habits and lifestyles, the age group of onset is gradually decreasing and is considered a blindness disease of modern people, which requires special attention.
The Korean Retinal Society selected retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, retinal venous obstruction, and macular degeneration as the four major retinal diseases that cause blindness.
According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of patients with the four major retinal diseases increased by about 109% from 526,323 in 2013 to 1,101,201 in 2023, of which patients aged 20 to 49 increased by about 50%. In all four major retinal diseases, the need to manage retinal diseases regardless of age is growing as the number of patients in the relatively young age group has increased over the past decade.
Retinal detachment is an eye disease in which the retina is separated from the inner wall of the eye, and the main cause is retinal perforation and high myopia, which cause a hole in the entire retinal layer. In particular, in young people, high myopia is closely related to retinal detachment. As myopia progresses, structural changes occur that lengthen the eyeball back and forth, and at this time, the retina is pulled and thinned, making it easier to tear or form holes. In addition, retinal detachment can occur even when trauma or shock is applied, which is highly likely to occur in teenagers or 20s with a lot of activity. In the absence of myopia, retinal detachment may occur after age 50 due to vitreous liquefaction and vitreous detachment due to aging.
As the age of diabetes has recently decreased, the incidence of diabetic retinopathy is increasing even among young patients.
Diabetic retinopathy is one of the complications of diabetes and can cause damage to retinal blood vessels, leading to blindness. Prevention and early detection are very important because once it occurs, blood sugar continues even if it remains normal. In the early stages, it is difficult to recognize symptoms, and if vision decreases or you feel metamorphopsia, non-epidemic, etc., it is likely that diabetic retinopathy has already progressed a lot, so if you have diabetes, it is recommended to visit the ophthalmologist periodically once a year from 6 months to 1 year.
If there is a systemic disease that is closely related to the lifestyle of modern people, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and heart disease, attention should be paid to retinal vascular obstruction caused by poor vascular function.
Retinal venous obstruction is a type of retinal vascular obstruction, resulting in circulatory disorders in venous blood vessels, resulting in bleeding and swelling. Visibility may be blurred or objects may appear dented, and abnormal neovascularization may be caused, accompanied by complications such as vitreous bleeding or neovascular glaucoma.
Macular degeneration is one of the three major blindness diseases, and a typical cause is aging, and family history, smoking, and ultraviolet rays can cause macular damage. As a result of the aging process, waste accumulates in the macula and gradually decreases vision, and in the case of wet macular degeneration, abnormal new blood vessels are formed, which can also be accompanied by bleeding and swelling of the retina. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment of macular degeneration are very important.
Retinal disease is a modern blindness disease that increases the risk of developing in all ages due to aging due to environmental factors such as modern people's lifestyle and westernized eating habits and increased life expectancy. Various factors such as eye fatigue, stress, strong sunlight, and metabolic diseases caused by long-term use of various electronic devices such as smartphones and computers can also negatively affect the retina. Since the retina does not regenerate once damaged, and it is difficult to recognize symptoms in the early stages, it is important to immediately visit an ophthalmologist for a thorough examination if you feel eye fatigue or abnormal symptoms regardless of your age.
"Managing the function of viewing as we enter a super-aged society is an important issue directly related to quality of life," said Yoo Young-joo, a specialist at Kim Ophthalmology Hospital Retinal Hospital. "In order to detect and manage retinal diseases that can cause blindness early, regular eye examinations should be conducted once a year regardless of age, and healthy eyes should be maintained for a long time by improving lifestyle."," he said.
The Korean Retinal Society selected retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, retinal venous obstruction, and macular degeneration as the four major retinal diseases that cause blindness.
According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of patients with the four major retinal diseases increased by about 109% from 526,323 in 2013 to 1,101,201 in 2023, of which patients aged 20 to 49 increased by about 50%. In all four major retinal diseases, the need to manage retinal diseases regardless of age is growing as the number of patients in the relatively young age group has increased over the past decade.
Retinal detachment is an eye disease in which the retina is separated from the inner wall of the eye, and the main cause is retinal perforation and high myopia, which cause a hole in the entire retinal layer. In particular, in young people, high myopia is closely related to retinal detachment. As myopia progresses, structural changes occur that lengthen the eyeball back and forth, and at this time, the retina is pulled and thinned, making it easier to tear or form holes. In addition, retinal detachment can occur even when trauma or shock is applied, which is highly likely to occur in teenagers or 20s with a lot of activity. In the absence of myopia, retinal detachment may occur after age 50 due to vitreous liquefaction and vitreous detachment due to aging.
As the age of diabetes has recently decreased, the incidence of diabetic retinopathy is increasing even among young patients.
Diabetic retinopathy is one of the complications of diabetes and can cause damage to retinal blood vessels, leading to blindness. Prevention and early detection are very important because once it occurs, blood sugar continues even if it remains normal. In the early stages, it is difficult to recognize symptoms, and if vision decreases or you feel metamorphopsia, non-epidemic, etc., it is likely that diabetic retinopathy has already progressed a lot, so if you have diabetes, it is recommended to visit the ophthalmologist periodically once a year from 6 months to 1 year.
If there is a systemic disease that is closely related to the lifestyle of modern people, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and heart disease, attention should be paid to retinal vascular obstruction caused by poor vascular function.
Retinal venous obstruction is a type of retinal vascular obstruction, resulting in circulatory disorders in venous blood vessels, resulting in bleeding and swelling. Visibility may be blurred or objects may appear dented, and abnormal neovascularization may be caused, accompanied by complications such as vitreous bleeding or neovascular glaucoma.
Macular degeneration is one of the three major blindness diseases, and a typical cause is aging, and family history, smoking, and ultraviolet rays can cause macular damage. As a result of the aging process, waste accumulates in the macula and gradually decreases vision, and in the case of wet macular degeneration, abnormal new blood vessels are formed, which can also be accompanied by bleeding and swelling of the retina. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment of macular degeneration are very important.
Retinal disease is a modern blindness disease that increases the risk of developing in all ages due to aging due to environmental factors such as modern people's lifestyle and westernized eating habits and increased life expectancy. Various factors such as eye fatigue, stress, strong sunlight, and metabolic diseases caused by long-term use of various electronic devices such as smartphones and computers can also negatively affect the retina. Since the retina does not regenerate once damaged, and it is difficult to recognize symptoms in the early stages, it is important to immediately visit an ophthalmologist for a thorough examination if you feel eye fatigue or abnormal symptoms regardless of your age.
"Managing the function of viewing as we enter a super-aged society is an important issue directly related to quality of life," said Yoo Young-joo, a specialist at Kim Ophthalmology Hospital Retinal Hospital. "In order to detect and manage retinal diseases that can cause blindness early, regular eye examinations should be conducted once a year regardless of age, and healthy eyes should be maintained for a long time by improving lifestyle."," he said.
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