How dangerous is retinal degeneration?

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The retina is the back part of the eye. When you look at things, light that hits the object reflects through the retina, which changes the light into an electrical signal and sends it through the optic nerve to the brain. On the retina, there is the most sensitive area of ​​the retina call the macula lutea. The macula contains billions of photoreceptor cells that help you see a clear image in the center of the image. If the macula is damaged. The vision will be blurry.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease that affects the macula lutea. The disease progresses slowly and in some people it takes a long time to lose vision. In others, the disease progresses rapidly and can lead to blindness in one or both eyes. ทางเข้า UFABET สำหรับสมาชิกใหม่ สมัครวันนี้ รับโบนัสฟรี AMD is the leading cause of blindness in people aged 65 and over in Western countries.

There are two types of retinal degeneration:

  • Dry AMD is the most common form. In its early or moderate stages, it accounts for about 90 percent of patients. It is caused by the breakdown of photosensitive cells in the macula.
  • Wet macular degeneration, affecting about 10 percent of patients, is caused by abnormal blood vessels at the back of the retina. Blood vessels grow beneath the macula. These new blood vessels can be fragile and leak blood and fluid, causing the macula to swell and rapidly destroy it. This destruction can cause scarring of the retina. In the early stages of wet macular degeneration, straight lines may appear to have a wavy appearance. People may also have a “blind spot”, which is the loss of vision in the central part of their vision.

5 Causes of Retinal Degeneration

1. Age . Of course, the deterioration of the eyes leading to macular degeneration comes from increasing age. It has also been found. That macular degeneration occurs more in women than in men.

2. Genetics If it is found that someone in the family has a history of this disease. It may affect others as well. Therefore, if a father, mother, or relative has this disease, they should have their retinas checked at least once a year.

3. Smoking Smoking not only has a negative effect on various systems in the body, but it also increases the risk of developing retinal degeneration by 4-6 times more than people who do not smoke. This is because the toxins in cigarettes directly destroy the cells of the retina.

4. Lack of nutrients . Not eating a balanced diet with all five food groups and lacking antioxidants or certain eye-nourishing nutrients, especially lutein and zeaxanthin, can lead to retinal degeneration.

5. Eyes are regularly exposed to light. In addition to sunlight with UV rays. The light also includes blue light that is transmitted through computer screens. Smartphone screens, and other digital devices. Therefore, being in a place with bright light or using your eyes to focus on activities in a place with low light can all cause retinal degeneration.