Stargardt’s disease, or maculopathy, is an inherited retinal disorder that generally manifests within the first 20 years of life, although symptoms can occur in later years. It is the most common type of juvenile onset hereditary macular dystrophy, with a prevalence of approximately 1:8,000–10,000, and it affects both men and women equally.
The main symptom to which great attention should be paid is the reduction of central visual acuity in one eye, which can begin during adolescence or even childhood, and that can rapidly extend to the other eye.
People with Stargardt’s disease may also complain of difficulties in colour perception (dyschromatopsia), central scotomas (black spots in the visual field) and photophobia (intolerance to light).
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