What is Stargardt's disease?

Stargardt's disease is a inherited condition that can seriously disrupt a person's vision. Symptoms usually begin to appear in late childhood or adolescence, and vision problems tend to persist throughout your life. Stargardt's disease is classified as a type of juvenile macular dystrophy, which means that it primarily affects the central focus in the retina called macula. Individuals who suffer from a mild to severe stargardt disease may have to wear prescription glasses and use other low vision aids to maintain quality of life.

In almost all cases, Stargardt's disease is caused by inherited genetic defect. The ABCA4 gene normally produces a protein that helps to focus and convert light into pulses that can be interpreted. When a person inherits a mutated copy of ABCA4 from both parents, vital protein may be defective or absent. As a result, the cells of light capture in the macula quickly degenerate and lead to Vision loss.

Most people whoThey are diagnosed with Stargardt's disease, it has an average vision of six years. Over the years, their vision tends to deteriorate gradually because the receptor cells die. Peripheral vision is usually left intact, but the central vision is poorly blurred. Because the macula also contains cell interpretation cells, this condition can cause significant problems distinguishing colors in central vision. In severe cases, patients may be blinded before age 20 years.

ophthalmologist can usually diagnose Stargardt's disease by evaluating physical symptoms, asking about the nature of their onset and microscopically control the eye. Many different conditions, including direct injuries, can affect the eyes similar to Stargardt's disease, so it is important to rule out all other diagnosis options. A doctor may be able to detect a lesion on a macule that is bounded by yellow spotI, remnants of extinct proteins ABCA4. If the lesion seems to be infected, the ophthalmologist could decide to apply eye drops of antibiotics and apply a protective bandage to one or both eyes.

There are no proven medical or surgical treatment of Stargardt's disease. Patients are usually equipped with glasses or contact lenses to improve their central vision. Many people with disorder are highly sensitive to light, so when leaving outdoors, ultraviolet sunglasses block light are recommended. In order to maintain independence, patients can make lifestyle adjustments, such as reading large type books and using computer software for voice recognition. Increasing the amount of artificial light in the interior and the use of walking can also help avoid home accidents.