Yellow spot disease, known as macular degeneration, is a retinal disease that is usually inherited, is common in people after 55 years of age, smokers and malnourished. >What is Yellow Spot Disease (Macular Degeneration)?
The macula is the region at the back of the eye that allows us to see details. Thanks to this region, we can read or thread the needle. When the macula does not work well, we complain of blurriness and darkness in the area we look at.
Macular degeneration will not impair our vision from the sides, even if it reduces the central vision. For example; we can see a clock on the wall, but we cannot tell what time it is. Macular degeneration does not result in complete blindness. These patients can do their own business at home, but they cannot go out much, cannot read, write, watch TV and drive alone.
There are 2 different types of macular degeneration:
Dry Type Macular Degeneration: Most type found in the patient. It develops due to aging. Since it progresses slowly, vision loss is less and occurs in a long time.
Age Type Macular Degeneration: It is found in 10% of people suffering from macular degeneration. It gives symptoms with leaks and bleedings that occur as a result of abnormal vascularization from the back of the eye. In this case, vision loss is sudden and serious.
What are the Symptoms of Yellow Spot Disease?
Yellow spot disease can occur with different symptoms in different people. Sometimes, although there is severe vision loss in one eye, the other eye may remain intact for years. It is not easy to diagnose macular degeneration in the early stages. However, if both eyes are affected, difficulty begins to be felt when reading or working. In this case;
- There is a dark dark region in the middle of the point you are looking at.
- The straight lines at the point you are looking at appear bent.
- Colors appear paler.
Yellow Spot Disease Who is at Risk in Turkey?
The most important risk factors for macular degeneration can be listed as follows:
- Advanced age: Approximately 25% of people over the age of 65 have macular degeneration.
- The presence of macular degeneration in one eye: Approximately 90% of those with a disease in one eye develop the disease in the other eye within 2 years.
- Genetics
- Sun exposure
- Hypertension
How to Diagnose Yellow Spot Disease?
Early diagnosis and early treatment are of great importance in yellow spot disease. Because the existing vision loss is mostly irreversible with current treatments, but its progression can be stopped.
Regular eye examination is required for early diagnosis.
A comprehensive retinal examination is of great importance in the diagnosis of macular degeneration in addition to the routine examination in which visual acuity is evaluated in the eye examination.
How to Treat Yellow Spot Disease?
Dry type yellow spot disease/macular degeneration: If you are a dry type patient, you should visit an ophthalmologist at regular intervals and take the necessary vitamins and minerals for the eye as a preventative. It is recommended that you use drugs with antioxidant effect containing anti-oxidant.
Read: 0
