BENGALURU: Can you imagine your life without the ability to see? Eyes are one of the most vital organs of our body. However, we tend to ignore the health of our eyes. Lack of awareness about eye-related diseases and its symptoms leads to delay in seeking treatment. While diseases affecting the cornea (front of the eye) are easily diagnosed, those affecting the retina (back of the eye) are rarely recognised.
*Understanding retinal diseases*
The retina is the light-sensitive layer located at the back of the eye where the image is created much like a film inside a camera. If the retina is damaged, the vision is automatically affected. Retinal diseases such as Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) lead to chronic poor vision.
Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the most common causes of moderate vision loss in patients with Diabetic retinopathy (DR). This condition damages blood vessels in the retina, causing leakage of fluid resulting in swelling of macula (part of the retina).
AMD constitutes for 8.7 per cent of blindness in the world. It is one of the most common causes of severe vision loss in the elderly population. AMD is a condition which over a period affects and damages the macula of the retina creating dark spots in the central vision.
Common signs & symptoms:
* Blurred vision: When one experiences blurred vision they tend to relate it to stress, old-age. Or more commonly to cataract. This is due to lack of knowledge of retinal diseases such as AMD and DME. It is important to visit an ophthalmologist when objects start getting blurry.
* Colour sensitivity: Decreased contrast or colour sensitivity, is a warning sign of retinal diseases and one should immediately seek medical advice from an expert. Alert Patients as well as caregivers could help notice the symptom to catch the disease early.
* Dark spots in centre vision: Dark spots in the centre vision is another symptom of AMD or DME. Over time, the dark spots increase creating dark patches in the vision and thereby lead to vision loss.
* Straight lines appear wavy or distorted: One of the symptoms of AMD and DME is wavy or distorted appearance of straight lines.
* Difficulty in seeing from a distance: Often when people have trouble in viewing objects from a distance, they visit an optician for a quick fix. The possibility of retinal diseases rarely crosses the patient’s mind.
Growing incidence among young population:
The incidence of retinal diseases is increasing among young population, affecting them during the productive years of their lives. Apart from the physical morbidity, there are economic and emotional implications as well. Timely diagnosis and prompt treatment can help patients improve quality of their life. Retinal diseases can be managed effectively with quality care treatment. Today, there are treatments available that can slow or halt disease progression. Some of the treatment options available in India include laser photocoagulation, anti-VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) injections and combination therapy which includes laser and anti-VEGF treatment.
- The author is an ophthalmologist and retina consultant, Retina Institute of Karnataka, Bengaluru