What is Stargardt Disease?
Stargardt disease, also referred to as Stargardt macular dystrophy or juvenile macular degeneration, is an inherited disorder affecting the macula - the small central area at the back of each eye that provides sharp, detailed vision in straight lines.
Disease typically begins during childhood or adolescence and progresses over time to cause progressive vision loss, including central vision loss, difficulty reading, difficulties recognising faces and loss of color vision.
Stargardt disease is caused by mutations to the ABCA4 gene, which provides instructions for producing an ATP-binding cassette transporter A4 protein that transports lipofuscin away from retinal cells - in those suffering from Stargardt disease, lipofuscin accumulates and eventually kills macula cells, leading to vision loss over time.
Current treatments of Stargardt disease do not offer a permanent solution, but treatments may help manage symptoms and slow progression such as tinted glasses, vitamin supplements, or low-vision rehabilitation.
Stargardt disease is an inherited disorder caused by mutations to genes passed down from parent to child. More specifically, Stargardt disease stems from mutations to ABCA4 gene which provides instructions for making an ATP-binding cassette transporter A4 protein involved with transporting lipofuscin out of retina cells.
Sanjeevan's Advanced Ayurvedic eye care is effective in treating Stargardt Disease. Sanjeevan Netralaya treats each patient with a unique treatment plan. The specialised treatments are tailored to the individual and cause no pain, discomfort, or side effects. It is important to have your eyes examined regularly so book your appointment now!
What are the causes of Stargardt Disease?
Stargardt disease is caused by mutations to the ABCA4 gene that lead to an accumulation of lipofuscin in cells of the macula, ultimately leading to their death and gradual vision loss. Stargardt is passed down autosomally recessively; meaning a person must inherit two copies from each parent in order to develop symptoms; those inheriting only one mutated copy from either parent are known as carriers who do not usually show signs or symptoms but can pass the gene onto future generations.
Stargardt disease can be caused by mutations to the ABCA4 gene, with severity and progression depending on which mutation has taken place.
Sanjeevan Netralaya's Ayurvedic Advanced Eye Care is an effective treatment for Stargardt Disease. Sanjeevan Netralaya's specialised tailor-made treatments do not cause any pain, discomfort or adverse side effects. It is important to have your eyes examined regularly so book your appointment now!
What are the symptoms of Stargardt Disease?
Stargardt disease affects central vision, or your ability to see fine details and objects directly in front of you. Symptoms may differ depending on the person suffering, but may include:
Blurry or distorted vision when looking directly at objects.
Difficulties reading text that appears smudged, distorted, or blurry.
Loss of color vision where colors appear washed-out or faded-out. And difficulty recognising faces or familiar objects as soon as they enter your field of vision.
Sensitivity to bright light or difficulty adapting to changes in lighting.
Visual hallucinations or illusions such as seeing patterns or shapes that do not actually exist. Progressive vision loss over time that could eventually lead to legal blindness.
Stargardt disease typically impacts both eyes equally, with symptoms often starting in childhood or adolescence; however, they can sometimes appear later in life. Not everyone experiencing Stargardt experiences all of its symptoms, as its severity and progression varies considerably among individuals.
Sanjeevan Netralaya has a customised treatment plan for each patient and treats Stargardt Disease effectively. There is no discomfort, pain or side effect from the treatments. You should have your eyes checked regularly, so make an appointment today!