Celestat. Six days to raise awareness on macular diseases

The macula, the anatomical region between the retina, is affected by pathologies, the most common of which is age-related macular degeneration (AMD). As the name suggests, it mainly affects the elderly.

Three signs to know

Matthew Nordin, an ophthalmologist at the Dromson Center, lists three signs that could alert you to possible AMD. The appearance of a scotoma, i.e., a fixed central black spot in the visual field. Metamorphoses, which are bulges of straight vertical or horizontal lines. Eventually, the visual acuity decreases. The The Amsterdam Grid test can be easily found on the Internet , Then allows you to test your eyesight yourself.

Anyone with any of these symptoms is encouraged to seek immediate optical coherence tomography (OCT) screening. This painless and fast medical imaging technique ensures possible AMD and establishes follow-up.

“Detecting this attack as soon as possible is a public health challenge because there is symptomatic treatment for certain types of disease,” explained Matthew Nordin.

New treatments

Then we need to distinguish two types of AMD: dry (or atrophic) form and wet (or exudative) form. The former are not currently treated, requiring regular monitoring.

The second result is the appearance of new vessels (or neovassels) under the macula, which develop into edema. As Matthew Nordin points out, there has been a “real revolution” in the management of exudative AMD since the mid-2000s, especially thanks to therapies targeting pathology. “Thirty years ago, these diseases were not treated,” he said. Intra-vitreous injections (IVT) are performed under local anesthesia, behind the lens, and in vitreous.

However, there is no cure for AMD. “It’s a chronic disease that requires regular monitoring. Above all, treatments can slow its progression,” said the ophthalmologist, who still emphasizes the importance of prompt treatment.

Finally, if AMD mainly affects people over 65, he advises people over the age of 50 to have regular checkups every three years.

Our lifestyle also plays a role in the onset of the disease, he recommends a balanced diet including fruits, green vegetables and omega 3. Tobacco consumption was also strongly discouraged.

Often pathologies

Anas Kenk, Dromsen Center Coordinator, talks about the most common macular diseases in ophthalmology. “In 2020, many patients did not come out for fear of Kovid and stopped their treatment,” she testified.

So she encourages relevant people to come and take advantage of these days. The screening is conducted without an appointment, at the cost of a standard service reimbursed by Social Security.

List of participating ophthalmologists: https://www.journees-macula.fr/presentation/les-centres-partenaires-des-journees