title: Medical perspective: macular degeneration (AMD) and human sight in the future.
abstract: The author concisely presents the results of his 30-year investigations about the harmful influence of the higher sun radiation on the eyes. The investigations were carried out among the population of the Island of Rab, situated in the northern part of the Adriatic sea. This geographical region has been characterized by higher doses of the global sun radiation compared with the remaining part of the Republic of Croatia, and partly with the rest of the Mediterranean. The author proved it by his own measurements of UV-B, UV-A and the global sun radiation. The number of the diseased from the macular degeneration (AMD), cataract and precancerous pterygium has been significantly increased in those inhabitants being more exposed to the sun radiation. Investigating the retinal threshold, of the macula and peripherally--meridian thresholds, even the children more exposed to the sun radiation without protection, are established to have the increased excitation threshold of the retina, making later the basis and risk factor for the earlier AMD development. The author also points out that the periphery of retina and the macula are damaged in AMD. Later stages of macular degeneration transfer to the clinical form of the optic nerve atrophy. The author pathohistologically proved that the whole retina has been degeneratively involved in AMD, not only the photoreceptors and the retinal pigment. Therefore, the author pleads for the idea of children protection from the higher sun radiation to become a national problem of each country, and the coordination must be with the World Health Organization (WHO).
authors.forename: Bozo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vojniković
mesh_terms: D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D019083:Mediterranean Region / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects*