A new screening campaign starting from Milan to intercept and treat those with maculopathy and risk losing their sight almost without realizing it
The central part of the retina “blinds” and reading, driving, even dressing or eating becomes almost impossible: it happens with
maculopathy
diseases of the central part of the retina which are among the main causes dlow vision in the over 50s. Recognizing them in time means being able to treat them and block the progression of the damage, but often i symptoms are subtle and you don’t notice anything until it’s too late: this is why the awareness campaign “Your point of view matters – don’t let maculopathy stop you”, which in the coming months will take to various cities in Italy free screening visits thanks to an initiative promoted by Roche and sponsored by the Association of Eye Disease Patients (APMO), the Macula Committee, Retina Italia ODV and the Italian Society of Ophthalmological Sciences (SISO).
Symptoms of maculopathy
When the central part of the retina begins to degenerate, it is said that we are not aware of it: vision in the central part of the visual field worsens, the outlines of things seem “wrong” but the brain compensates for a long time and it can happen that months or years go by without realizing that something is wrong. Meanwhile, the damage progresses: age-related wet maculopathy, which mainly affects the over 65s, is the main cause of vision loss in the over sixties and thediabetic macular edemawhich affects people with diabetes even at a younger age, is a reason for disability and loss of working capacity in the over 50s.
The therapies
For these two forms of maculopathy, the most common, however, exist effective treatments: VEGF inhibitors, the vascular endothelial growth factor, administered through intravitreal injections can block the progression of the disease, however, to get the best results, early diagnosis is needed and regular treatment is also needed. These are precisely the two critical issues that the new campaign addresses, through free screening days in places frequented by the population of an age at risk and information initiatives to explain how important it is to take care of yourself and do it right.
Adherence to care
«What scares the patient is that many treatments for maculopathy will have to be repeated for the rest of their lives», explains Francesco Viola, director of the Ophthalmological Complex Structure of the IRCCS Foundation Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico in Milan. «This, combined with the fact that many patients are not autonomous, contributes to a reduction in therapeutic adherence, with a consequent worsening of the disease: this is exactly what we don’t want to happen. Thanks to research, patients will have new treatments available that will increasingly facilitate them in correct therapy compliance, which is essential for a significant recovery of vision and an active social and daily life”. «Maculopathies cause the patient a rapid loss of autonomy, due to the progressive reduction of central and detailed vision», adds Francesco Bandello, director of the Ophthalmology Unit of the IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital in Milan and president of the Association of Eye Disease Patients. «This has a significant impact both on everyday life and on the psyche of the person and the entire family unit. L’diabetic macular edema, for example, being associated with diabetes and not with age can also affect younger people who suddenly can no longer work. On the contrary, the neovascular macular degeneration it predominantly affects people over the age of sixty who find themselves experiencing the profound discomfort of not being independent, of not being able to see well, of not being able to go alone to make visits and to be administered therapy. It therefore becomes essential to take charge of the patient promptly and adequately”. «The message we would like to send with this campaign is twofold: on the one hand, that the prevention it is essential to preserve people’s vision, on the other hand maculopathies shouldn’t scare you. Today we have effective treatments available, but in order for them to really be effective, they must be repeated with constant cycles. It is therefore necessary to help the patient to follow the therapeutic plan correctly, so that he has a better quality of life », concludes Teresio Avitabile, president of the Italian Society of Ophthalmological Sciences. First date with free screenings in Milan, on 17 June at the Teatro Manzoni and on 1 July at the Caccialanza bowling alley.
June 17, 2023 (change June 17, 2023 | 15:02)
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