Cheraskin E
University of Alabama Medical Center, Birmingham.
J Natl Med Assoc. 1992 Oct;84(10):873-6.
Almost every report on macular degeneration begins with a somber reminder that macular degeneration is the single most common cause of blindness in the elderly in the United States and Europe. Almost every report also confirms that there is no known successful approach to slowing, stopping, reversing, or preventing this syndrome. In the light of these devastating statements, it is difficult to explain the paucity of information about the disease process in general and its epidemiologic implications in particular. What little is known deals with prevalence rates; no figures are available regarding the incidence. Additionally, almost without exception, the prevalence numbers are based on the assumption that macular degeneration is a binomial (black and white) problem. However, macular degeneration, like all chronic diseases, exists in a potentially infinite number of shades of gray. Hence, when viewed as an achromatic continuum, macular degeneration is more prevalent than generally believed. Recognizing this disorder earlier invites the greater possibility of a cure or primary prevention.
在美国和欧洲，黄斑变性是老年人失明的最常见单一原因。几乎每一份报告也都证实，目前尚无已知的成功方法来减缓、阻止、逆转或预防这种综合征。鉴于这些令人沮丧的说法，很难解释为何总体上关于该病病程，尤其是其流行病学影响的信息如此匮乏。目前所知甚少的是患病率；尚无发病率的数据。此外，几乎毫无例外，患病率数字是基于黄斑变性是一个二元（非黑即白）问题的假设。然而，黄斑变性与所有慢性病一样，存在着潜在的无数种灰度变化。因此，当被视为一个无彩色连续体时，黄斑变性比普遍认为的更为普遍。更早地识别这种疾病会带来更大的治愈或一级预防可能性。
