A disease that affects Central vision, Worrisome!!!

12 months ago

Ooohkay people !!! Lets go!!

So, I stumbled upon this fascinating blog post by @elity-sitio here in @stemsocial, and let me tell you, it's all about eye diseases. Now, having a degenerative eye disease sounds pretty worrisome, right? I mean, imagine valuing every single thing you see because you don't know how many more suns you'll witness before your eyes go completely bonkers. It's like a race against time with your peepers!

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Now, there are tons of degenerative eye disease out theres. We've got Glaucomas, Retinitis pigmentosa, Diabetic retinopathy, and the list goes on. But today, my friends, we're diving deep into the world of Macular Degeneration, or as it's more officially known, Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD/ARMD).

Picture this: You've got this condition, and suddenly your vision gets all blurry. It's like trying to see things only when they're super up close to your eyes. Peripheral vision? Yeah, that's still working fine. But the central vision, my friends, it's taking a hit. And when it comes to dry macular degeneration, it creeps up on you as you get older, especially if you have those risk factors dancing around. So, you end up with blind spots called Scetomas, night blindness (uh-oh, poor night vision), and everything starts looking a little fuzzy and off in color. It's like your brain plays fill-in-the-blank, but instead of blacking out, it leaves you with these empty regions.

Now, get this: Macular degeneration accounts for about 8.7% of all types of blindness worldwide. That's a hefty number, my friends!

So, let's talk about what's happening in your eyeballs. You've got this degenerative disease, and it's all about the loss of central vision. Think of your eyeball like a little universe. You've got the cornea as the outer shell, followed by the colorful iris. Light rays pass through your pupil, hitting the lens, and then boom! They reach the retina, which sends all that juicy information to the optic nerve and eventually to your brain. At the back of the eye, we've got the Choroid and the Sclera. But wait, within the retina, there's a superstar called the Macular—the bulls-eye of vision packed with cones. That's where all the action happens, folks! And when that Macular starts having issues, you end up with central vision problems. Not cool, right?

Now, let's talk wet and dry. No, not your sense of humor—macular degeneration! In dry macular degeneration, these proteins called Drusen start piling up, creating a separation between the choroid and the retina. It's like a game of "Let's Atrophy and Degen!" Dry macular degeneration is the real MVP, affecting about 9 out of 10 people with this condition. It's a slow change in vision, caused by a decrease in blood flow to the retina. It's like your macular is experiencing some serious isolation, blocking those tiny blood vessels and causing a separation of membranes. Talk about drama!

But hold on tight, because wet macular degeneration has its own gig. The choroid goes all crazy and starts producing these thin and weak blood vessels that can leak. And when they leak, it's like a fluid and blood party, separating your macular and leaving some hemorrhagic Edema scarring. The wet type is less common, but boy, does it move fast! It doesn't care about your age, showing up whenever it feels like it.
Those new blood vessels that grow abnormally are like troublemakers, thin and weak, causing all sorts of mischief. They end up perforating and allowing blood and fluid to gather beneath the macular, leaving a scar. And guess what? That scar messes up the transmission of visual information to your brain. Talk about a party pooper!

Now, let's talk about the risk factors for Macular Degeneration. Some of them you can't really change, like your age and family history. Yeah, they're the non-modifiable ones. But there are some factors you can actually do something about, like smoking, poor intake of vision-boosting vitamins, and hypertension. You have the power to modify those! Quit smoking, boost up on supplements, and hey, there's even laser therapy and injections available to treat this degeneration. So, don't lose hope!

When it comes to symptoms, blurry vision takes the spotlight. Everything becomes a bit hazy and distorted. It's like trying to see through a foggy window. And hey, there's even a fancy term for distorted vision called metamorphopsia. Sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, right?

Now, when it comes to diagnosing Macular Degeneration, doctors have their tricks up their sleeves. They might use Fluorescein dye to check out those blood vessels or perform Fundoscopy to get a good look at the book of your eye. It's all about gathering the right information to help you out.

So, what can be done for patients with Macular Degeneration? Well, there are some modifications that can make a difference. You might get some snazzy glasses, improved lighting to brighten things up, ocular injections, and even laser therapy. It's all about finding ways to tackle this degeneration head-on.

Remember, my friends, Macular Degeneration might sound like a formidable foe, but you're not alone in this battle. There are treatments, modifications, and a whole community out there ready to support you. So, let's keep those peepers sparkling and stay optimistic. Together, we can navigate this blurry adventure and keep our vision as sharp as ever!