Macular disease is the leading cause of blindness and severe vision loss in Australia with an estimated 1.7 million Australians having some evidence of macular disease, and awareness is being raised in May as part of Macula Awareness Month.

Macular disease covers a range of painless conditions affecting the central retina (the macula), which is at the back of the eye and is responsible for your fine vision (e.g. reading this text).

Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) Ophthalmologist Dr Susith Kulasekara said certain eye conditions may only affect the macula. This wouldn’t lead to total blindness but would impact central vision, leaving peripheral vision intact.

“You can have early signs of macular disease without knowing it. However, when symptoms do appear, they can include:

• difficulty with reading or any other activity which requires detailed central vision (despite wearing appropriate glasses)
• distortion, where straight lines may appear wavy or bent
• problems distinguishing faces
• dark patches in the central vision.

“If you notice any of these symptoms, you should consult an eye health professional. Early detection and prompt intervention are crucial to saving sight,” Dr Kulasekara said.

The most common macular disease is age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Approximately one in seven Australians over the age of 50 have some evidence of AMD.

“Early action can save sight so everyone over 50 must have regular eye checks with an optometrist or an ophthalmologist to detect any changes to the eye early.”

Diabetic eye disease – including diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular oedema (DMO) – is a complication of diabetes. Diabetes is a complex, chronic condition characterised by high blood glucose (sugar) levels. Over time, diabetes can affect many parts of the body including your eyes because of changes to blood vessels and blood supply.

Around 1.7 million Australians live with diabetes – a figure expected to climb past two million by 2025, driving a surge in diabetic eye disease.

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease and the top cause of blindness in working-age Aussies, affecting between 300,000 and 400,000 people.

Almost everyone with type 1 diabetes and more than 60% of people with type 2 diabetes will develop some form of DR within 20 years of diagnosis. One in three people over the age of 50 with diabetes has DR.

“Diabetes can affect your eyes in several ways. That’s why it’s important to have a comprehensive eye exam as soon as you’re diagnosed with diabetes, then continue to have regular eye examinations. You should maintain these appointments even if you don’t notice any symptoms. Early detection and treatment is the best way to prevent vision loss.

“Careful control of diabetes can delay the onset or even reverse the progression of diabetic retinopathy.”

An optometrist can perform the testing for Macular disease and refer you to one of the eye clinics at RDH, Katherine and Gove hospitals for further assessment including visual field testing and eye scans. Medical treatment, monitoring, and follow up for macular disease, can be done at RDH, Katherine and Gove hospitals. Certain macular conditions may require laser or surgery and can be done at RDH. Those in Central Australia should have regular checks with their optometrist who can then refer to eye clinic at Alice Springs Hospital.

Caption: Royal Darwin Hospital orthoptist Maddie Moore checks a patient’s macular with NT Health encouraging Territorians to have eyes checked for Macular disease.