When elderly people have vision problems, don’t say it’s presbyopia

As they age, many elderly people will have vision problems. When the lens of the eye gradually hardens and loses elasticity, the ciliary muscle function gradually decreases, causing the eye's adjustment function to decline and presbyopia to occur, most of these are normal physiological phenomena. However, vision loss after the age of 50 may not only be presbyopia, but also age-related macular degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration, also known as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is a disease that increases in incidence with age and can lead to decreased central vision and distorted vision, causing permanent visual impairment. Both eyes may develop the disease simultaneously or one after the other. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is divided into dry AMD and wet AMD. Although wet AMD only accounts for about 10% to 15% of AMD patients, it is one of the main causes of blindness.

If the human eye is compared to a camera, the film of the camera is equivalent to the retina of the human eye, the lens is equivalent to the lens of the eye, and the aperture and focuser of the camera are equivalent to the ciliary body and pupil of the human eye. The macula is an important area located in the retina and is the most sensitive area of ​​the human eye. When external light shines into the eye and is projected on the fovea of ​​the macula, a clear and accurate image can be formed.

Once lesions occur in the macular area, symptoms of wet AMD such as decreased vision, dark shadows in front of the eyes, distorted vision, and abnormal color vision may appear. The main pathological features of wet AMD are choroidal neovascularization (CNV) or retinal neovascularization in the macular area, and may be accompanied by retinal edema, retinal hemorrhage, and retinal scarring. Currently, the main clinical treatments for wet AMD include anti-VEGF drug therapy, retinal laser photocoagulation, and photodynamic therapy (PDT).

Here is an effective preliminary examination method for age-related macular degeneration - the Amsler grid method. First, prepare an Amsler grid with a size of 10×10 cm, as shown below:

Place the grid in a bright environment at eye level, about 30 cm from your eyes. If you have myopia or presbyopia, you need to wear glasses for the test.

Secondly, cover your eyes with one hand and use the other eye to stare at the small black dots in the grid. Observe whether the grid has any abnormal phenomena such as distortion, enlargement of the dark spot in the center, blurriness, or dark colors.

If you have the above symptoms, it means that you may be suffering from age-related macular degeneration. It is recommended that you go to a professional ophthalmology hospital for further detailed examination.

For age-related macular degeneration, early detection, early diagnosis, and early treatment are extremely important. Especially for people over 50 years old with a family history of age-related macular degeneration, chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, and long-term smokers, they should regularly undergo fundus health examinations related to "age-related macular degeneration".