Many diseases can occur in the yellow spot area, which is the center of our eye and is the most important area responsible for clear vision, and can lead to loss of vision. Underlining that there is a lot of misinformation known to the public about diseases, Prof. Dr. Nur Acar Göçgil said, “When our patients who have a problem in the macula, that is, the yellow spot area, apply to us, they often come to us indiscriminately saying, 'I have yellow spot disease' and they mean age-related yellow spot degeneration. However, this is an incomplete explanation. It would be appropriate for our patients to better understand the diseases and differences that occur in the yellow spot area that requires immediate intervention.” said.
The yellow spot area of our retina, which is the most critical region for our vision; It is faced with the risk of many diseases such as macular hole, membrane formation in front of the retina and vitreomacular traction. Ophthalmology and Retinal Surgery Specialist Professor of Ophthalmology and Retinal Surgery, who warned about these diseases that occur in the macula region, which is the most sensitive area of our retina and located in a small area in the middle of the retina. Dr. Nur Acar Göçgil emphasized the importance of early diagnosis by reminding that irreversible vision loss can be encountered over time.
“TIME SHOULD NOT BE WASTEED TO AVOID SERIOUS RESULTS”
Stating that the diseases experienced in the retina tissue and its surroundings can also affect the vascular tissue in and around this region, Prof. Dr. Nur Acar Göçgil said, “Our retina is the region where light coming from outside and various images are perceived and these images are transmitted to our brain in order to enable us to see. The central and most sensitive area of our retina is the macula. Symptoms of problems in the retina area are usually similar. When these symptoms begin to be felt, it is necessary to consult an ophthalmologist without delay in order to prevent vision loss and serious consequences.” said.
“OUR PATIENTS COME TO US SAYING 'I HAVE YELLOW DOT DISEASE'”
Stating that the diseases occurring in the visual center of the retina, namely the yellow spot region, are confused with each other and are generally misidentified as "yellow spot disease" by the patients, Prof. Dr. Nur Acar Göçgil, “When our patients who have a problem in the macula, that is, the yellow spot area, apply to us, they often come to us indiscriminately by saying, 'I have yellow spot disease'. However, this is an incomplete explanation. The disease known as 'yellow spot disease' among the people is actually the age-related degeneration of the yellow spot. This disease has a dry and wet type and is progressive. Different types of diseases also occur in the yellow spot. For example, when we say 'There is a membrane formation in your yellow spot', patients perceive it as yellow spot disease. However, an epiretinal membrane may develop on the yellow spot, and a hole can occur in the yellow spot. Hole formation in the yellow spot is a completely different situation and surgical intervention is required to correct it. When the epiretinal membrane develops, if the disease does not impair vision and does not cause crooked vision, the patient can be followed up periodically. On the other hand, when vision is impaired, it is necessary to remove the membrane that develops on the retina by entering the posterior cavity of the eye with the vitrectomy method, which is one of the micro-surgery procedures that require expertise. It would be appropriate for our patients to better understand these diseases and differences that occur in the yellow spot area, which requires immediate intervention.” he said.
“SYMPTOMS OF PROBLEMS IN THE RETINAL REGION MAY BE SIMILAR”
Stating that the symptoms of the problems in the retina area are generally similar, Prof. Dr. Göçgil said, “Black colored floating objects that suddenly appear in the field of view, sudden flashes of light in one or both eyes, blurred vision, gradual decrease in peripheral vision, gradual shadowing in the field of view, bending and bending when looking at straight lines, colors appearing more pale, The need for more light for sharp vision, and the significant decrease in visual acuity when passing from a high-light environment to a low-light environment can be counted among the symptoms of retinal diseases in general. He stated that congenital and hereditary causes, disorders in the vascular system, systemic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, age-related macular degeneration, retinal damage due to drugs, intraocular tumors, retinal tears and detachment can be shown among the causes of retinal diseases.
“AGING IS THE MOST BASIC CAUSE OF MACULA HOLE DISEASE”
Referring to the macular hole disease, which usually starts silently in one eye, Prof. Dr. Göçgil said, “Macular hole disease, the main reason of which is aging, can occur in some cases without any reason. This disease, which occurs in the middle of the macula, is also called the hole behind the eye or the macular hole. The disease causes a decrease in vision quality in the form of blurred vision and distorted vision of objects. There are four stages of the disease and when detected outside the earliest period, it requires intervention with vitrectomy surgery as soon as possible. Because regression of the disease is very rare, and in case of progression of the disease, the success of the surgery may decrease and sufficient visualization may not be achieved after the intervention. made the statement.
MAY NOT INDICATE FORMATION OF membranous membranes in the retina.
With aging, changes in the structure called vitreous, which fills the inside of the eye, affect the inner layers of the retina in the macula region, and as a result, the membrane may develop in front of the retina. Speaking about the condition called epiretinal membrane, Prof. Dr. Nur Acar Göçgil said, “Most of the time, the membranes that develop on the macula may not show any symptoms due to their thin structure. It can remain silent for years without causing a decrease in vision. As the thickness of the membrane increases, it can cause problems such as shrinkage in the visual center, curvature of objects, decrease in vision, and blurred vision. Even if no symptoms are observed during routine controls, we regularly monitor the formation of the membrane on the yellow spot. In the treatment of the disease, we remove the membrane, which is the source of the problem, with a surgical intervention called vitrectomy, without damaging the nerve layer. used his statements.
Giving information about vitreomacular traction syndrome, Prof. Dr. Nur Acar Göçgil said, “The vitreous gel that fills the inside of our eyeball gets smaller as we age, its structure changes and begins to shrink and separate from the retina. Sometimes this separation process may not occur in a healthy way and a syndrome called vitreomacular traction may develop. As the vitreous moves away from the retina, it may remain partially adhered to, causing shrinkage in the macula and causing severe vision loss. With vitrectomy surgery, the shrinkage that causes the problem can be removed and the vision loss of our patients is corrected.” he said.
“VITRECTOMY IS A PRECISION MICROSURGICAL TECHNIQUE REQUIRING EXPERTISE”
Underlining that vitrectomy is a sensitive microsurgery technique that uses advanced technology and requires expertise, Prof. Nur Acar Göçgil said, “In recent years, the success in vitrectomy surgery has increased considerably, both with the rapid developments in technology and with the increase in surgical experience. However, in addition to performing a good surgery to increase vision, it is of great importance that the surgery be performed on time, without delay, and that the patient's systemic condition is under control. It should not be forgotten that the sense of sight is our most important sense. Vision loss and blindness reduce the productivity of the society, both socially and economically, and seriously reduce the quality of life of the patient.” he ended his speech.