[KoK! Health] Retinal Diseases Increasing the Risk of 'Blindness'... Not Safe to Assume Just Because You're Young

The retina is an important organ that detects light like the film in a camera, enabling the recognition of objects. However, because of its crucial role, damage to the retina can cause vision problems and even lead to blindness. Although retinal diseases have been primarily associated with aging, recent changes in Westernized diets and lifestyles have lowered the age of onset, making these conditions a leading cause of blindness among modern people, thus requiring special attention.

[Photo by Kim Eye Hospital]

The Korean Retina Society identifies four major retinal diseases that cause blindness: retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, and macular degeneration. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service on the 5th, the number of patients with these four retinal diseases nearly doubled over ten years, from 526,323 in 2013 to 1,101,201 in 2023. Notably, patients aged 20 to 49 also increased by about 50%. The rise in relatively younger patients across all four retinal diseases highlights the growing need to manage retinal health regardless of age.

Retinal detachment is an eye condition where the retina separates from the inner wall of the eyeball. Major causes include retinal tears (retinal holes) and high myopia. High myopia is especially closely linked to retinal detachment in younger individuals. As myopia progresses, the eyeball elongates structurally from front to back, causing the retina to stretch and thin, making it prone to tearing or developing holes. Additionally, trauma or impact can cause retinal detachment, so it is more likely to occur in active teenagers and people in their twenties. In the absence of myopia, retinal detachment usually occurs after age 50 due to vitreous liquefaction and vitreous detachment caused by aging.

Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes. Recently, as the onset age of diabetes has decreased, the incidence of diabetic retinopathy among younger patients has also increased. Diabetic retinopathy damages the retinal blood vessels and can lead to blindness. Once it develops, it continues to progress even if blood sugar levels are maintained within normal ranges, making prevention and early detection extremely important. Early symptoms are difficult to notice. If vision decreases or symptoms such as metamorphopsia, floaters, or photopsia occur, diabetic retinopathy may have already advanced significantly. Therefore, diabetic patients should visit an ophthalmologist regularly for check-ups every six months to one year.

If you have systemic diseases closely related to modern lifestyles, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or heart disease, you need to be cautious about retinal vascular occlusion caused by impaired vascular function. Among these, retinal vein occlusion is a condition where circulation problems occur in the venous vessels, causing hemorrhage and edema. It can cause blurred vision or distorted images and may lead to complications such as vitreous hemorrhage or neovascular glaucoma due to abnormal new blood vessel formation.

Macular degeneration, considered one of the three major causes of blindness along with diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, mainly occurs due to aging but can also be caused by family history, smoking, and ultraviolet rays. It is a disease in which waste products accumulate in the macula during the aging process, gradually reducing vision. Wet macular degeneration involves the formation of abnormal new blood vessels, which can cause bleeding and swelling of the retina. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are very important.

These retinal diseases are increasingly prevalent across all age groups due to environmental factors such as modern lifestyles and Westernized diets, as well as aging caused by increased life expectancy. Additionally, eye fatigue and stress from prolonged use of electronic devices like smartphones and computers, strong sunlight, and metabolic diseases can negatively affect the retina. Since the retina does not regenerate once damaged and early symptoms are difficult to detect, it is important to see an ophthalmology specialist immediately for a thorough examination if you experience eye fatigue or abnormal symptoms, regardless of age.

Yoo Young-joo, a retina specialist at Kim Eye Hospital, stated, “As we enter a super-aged society, managing visual function is a critical issue directly related to quality of life.” She added, “To detect and manage retinal diseases that can cause blindness early, it is essential to have regular ophthalmic check-ups once a year regardless of age and to maintain healthy eyes for a long time through lifestyle improvements.”