“The best treatment for blindness is to manage lifestyles and prevent the disease from occurring through regular examinations.”
Kim Tae-wan, director of the SNU Cheongan Department, emphasized the importance of vision and said this.
With the development of digital technology, mobile phones, which were simply used for telephone calls in the past, have become indispensable in daily life as multi-media enabling various things. Just look around and you can easily spot people walking while looking at their smartphone screens.
As such, the things that delight humans have developed around sight, hearing, and taste, and among them, vision accounts for a high proportion. To that extent, we rely heavily on our vision to survive. This view deteriorates with age, and in the worst case, the complacency of ‘not me’ can lead to ‘blindness’.
The three major blindness diseases in Korea include age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma, and the prevalence of these diseases is steadily increasing every year, requiring special attention and management.
According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2017-2018), the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration was 13.4%, diabetic retinopathy was 19.6%, and glaucoma was 3.4%.
Accordingly, the Yakup Newspaper met with Director Kim Tae-wan, who is the insurance director of the Korean Retina Society and the director of the SNU Cheong Eye Clinic, to learn about the three major blindness diseases in Korea, how to prevent them, and the need for a ‘fundus examination’ in detail.
Q. domestic 3big Real name disease patient increasing there is. this of diseases the cause what is, recent patient increasing The reason is what ji?
The main cause of the three major blindness diseases in Korea is an increase in life expectancy due to aging.
In particular, age-related macular degeneration is most affected by aging, and in addition, it is caused by myopia or intraocular inflammation.
Diabetic retinopathy is also one of the complications that is increasing as the number of diabetic patients increases due to the aging population. Aging is also the biggest risk factor for glaucoma.
In addition, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy are also caused by environmental factors such as westernized eating habits.
Q. Now in Korea most prevalence High the disease is diabetic retinopathy. after macular degeneration most Common Real name disease be that it would predicted there is, That The reason is what ji?
It is difficult to accurately estimate and predict the prevalence of the two diseases. However, it is true that the prevalence of both diseases is increasing rapidly. Currently, the most common cause of blindness in Korea is known as diabetic retinopathy. Since the early 2000s, the prevalence of macular degeneration has increased rapidly, and this prediction seems to have come out.
However, in the case of diabetic retinopathy, compared to the past, awareness of the complications and risks of diabetic patients has increased, and a significant part of prevention and management has been performed, so cases leading to blindness seem to have decreased significantly. In the past, many patients came to the hospital only after the retinopathy due to diabetes had progressed significantly. This is because there were many cases in which even diabetes was recognized late. Because of this, there were already many patients who were in a difficult condition to treat, but recently, such cases have decreased significantly.
Q. Real name disease when onset mainly which symptoms emergent ji? attack after Vision damage or loss the risk is how much High ji?
Each disease is different. In the early stages of glaucoma, it is very difficult for the patient to recognize the symptoms. It is because you feel that your field of vision is narrowing only when it progresses to the end. When macular degeneration develops, symptoms such as distorted objects, curved lines, and dark spots in the field of vision may appear. Diabetic retinopathy can also have symptoms similar to macular degeneration, and some patients complain of epilepsy.
All three diseases are progressive diseases that do not have a cure, and in particular, wet age-related macular degeneration progresses very quickly, and it is known that about 3 out of 4 patients lose their visual acuity to less than 0.1 within 3 years after onset.
Q. Real name disease risk High high-risk group seperately there is ji?
The main cause of age-related macular degeneration is aging. And the biggest culprit that causes eye aging is ultraviolet rays. In addition, environmental factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease are risk factors, and those with a family history are also classified as a high-risk group.
Since diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes, it is naturally caused by diabetes, and the longer the disease period, the higher the possibility of occurrence. Uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, kidney disease, pregnancy, etc. affect the induction of diabetic retinopathy.
Because glaucoma often damages the optic nerve due to increased intraocular pressure, intraocular pressure is the biggest risk factor, and family history, myopia, and diabetes can also be risk factors. Asians, especially Koreans, have normal tension glaucoma, which occurs even when the intraocular pressure is not high. Therefore, people with these risk factors need to be careful.
Q. Real name with disease Diagnosis if you receive which the treatments receive felled ji?
Macular degeneration is divided into dry and wet, and 80-90% of all patients with macular degeneration are dry, and vision does not fall unless it progresses to the end. Therefore, it is treated with antioxidants such as lutein or zeaxanthin, and it has been confirmed that 25 to 30% of disease progression is slowed down when supplements are consumed. Wet macular degeneration is treated with intraocular injection (anti-vascular endothelial growth factor, anti-VEGF).
Diabetic retinopathy is treated with various treatments depending on the severity of the disease, but the most important thing is blood sugar management. It is also important to manage risk factors for diabetes, such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and obesity. In addition, depending on the severity of the disease, laser treatment, intraocular injections are used to treat edema, and surgical treatment is performed for patients with retinal detachment or ocular hemorrhage.
Glaucoma is typically treated with eye drops to lower intraocular pressure, and surgical treatment may be considered in patients who do not respond.
Q. Real name diseases at start to discover Number there is How to what there is ji?
Macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy sometimes show symptoms such as curved lines or scotoma in the early stages, so it is possible to self-diagnose using the Amsler grid. After covering the Amsler grid with one eye at a time, look at the center and check whether the lines are bent or erased.
Even if there is no Amsler grid, it is possible to diagnose in the same way by looking at objects with straight lines, such as window frames or doors, but if you look with both eyes, you will not feel any abnormality, so you must cover one eye at a time and self-diagnose.
Glaucoma is difficult to detect at an early stage by self-diagnosis because it gradually falls from peripheral vision. Therefore, if you have a family history or other risk factors for glaucoma, or if you are suspected, and if you are an adult over 40 years of age who has a high incidence rate, it is recommended that you visit a hospital and have an eye exam.
Q. ‘fundus examination’column what is Described ask I give you.
The retina, optic nerve, and macula are located at the back of the eyeball, and fundus examination is a general examination of these parts.
The pupil dilates after 10 to 20 minutes after the administration of the mydriatic. Recently, due to the development of fundus camera optical technology, it is possible to perform examinations without a mydriatic agent.
Q. fundus examination where, how must be one?
Fundus examination is available in almost all ophthalmology departments and is performed with an ophthalmoscope or slit-lamp microscope. In the case of non-mydriasis, the center of the retina can be observed, and in the case of using a mydriatic agent, the periphery of the retina can be observed.
Q. The Korean Retina Society fundus examination in the life cycle test to include for trying there is. this for the society which make an effort do there is fundus exam in the life cycle test should be included doing The reason is what ji?
Diseases such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma are representative blinding diseases and may lead to blindness if early diagnosis and effective treatment are not performed. Therefore, in the case of adults aged 40 years or older or high-risk groups with risk factors, prevention is necessary through regular examinations.
However, there are many people who do not know the need for a test because they do not currently have any abnormal symptoms. As with any other disease, eye diseases can be preserved only with early detection and appropriate treatment. It is difficult for the retina or optic nerve to go back to its former state once damaged. Since the eyes play the most important role in human movement, work, and communication, it is necessary to prevent and manage them through early examinations before they are seriously damaged.
The Korean Retina Society actively conducts public relations activities every year to inform the public about the importance of early detection and appropriate treatment for the prevention of blindness diseases, and is continuously communicating with related government departments to include them in life cycle examinations.
Q. fundus examinationof costdoteffectiveness any go?
The cost of fundus examination is less than 10,000 won, and even if you take a photo with a camera, you can get it at a price in the mid-10,000 won range. With such a low cost, most blindness diseases can be found by observing the shape of blood vessels, macula, and optic nerve as a whole.
Therefore, it is recommended that adults over 40 years of age have regular fundus examinations even if they do not have symptoms, but since this is only recommended and not obligatory, many patients may not undergo fundus examinations early before symptoms appear. It is expected that the overall blindness disease incidence rate in Korea can be reduced if it is included in the life cycle examination and mandatory examination is possible.
Q. Real name disease prevention for advise give it the word if there is ask I give you. also already Real name with disease diagnosed patients treatment or disease in management keep in mind will do things if there is Something?
I think the best treatment is to manage it through lifestyle to prevent the disease from occurring and to prevent it by receiving fundus examinations regularly.
In order to prevent macular degeneration, which is the main cause of aging, it is necessary to take care of ultraviolet rays, high blood pressure, and heart disease that promote eye aging along with regular fundus examinations. Diabetic retinopathy is caused by diabetes, so trying to prevent diabetes or managing blood sugar in diabetic patients is a priority. Because glaucoma is very difficult to detect early through self-diagnosis, even if there are no symptoms, adults over the age of 40 must undergo a fundus examination. As the risk of developing the disease increases with age, it is recommended to have a fundus examination at least once a year as the age increases.
Patients who have already been diagnosed with the disease do not need to worry too much. This is because a variety of treatments have been developed recently, so it is possible to treat enough to maintain vision or reduce the rate of onset. Diagnosed patients can maintain their vision to a level that is not inconvenient for daily life if they continue to receive appropriate treatment after diagnosis.