Typically, macular degeneration is found amongst the older population but doctors are seeing a surprising increase in new cases among adults in their 20s and 30s.
Data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service revealed a 65.1% rise in macular degeneration cases in those in their 20s and 30s. And even more notably, those in their 30s had a 77% rise in cases. Those who were 60 years of age and older made up 85.4% of the macular degeneration patients last year.
An increase in indoor activities along with high smartphone usage is being deemed the cause of the alarming trend among the younger adults. While macular degeneration in the elderly is primarily age-related, in younger patients, it's linked to high myopia which is caused by extended use of digital devices along with less hours spent in natural sunlight.
