STARGARDT DISEASE

Stargardt disease is an uncommon genetic eye disease; stemming from fatty material build-up on the macula.

Common symptoms of Stargardt disease are loss of central vision, spots (gray, black, or hazy) in central of vision, light-sensitivity, color blindness, and struggle in adjustment between light and dark places.

Stargardt disease typically occurs from changes in the "ABCA4" gene- which affects how the body processes vitamin A.

• Color Vision Testing: checks for color blindness
• Fundus Photography: captures photos of the retina to check for yellowish flecks on your macula.
• Electroretinography (ERG): scans for how well retina responds to light.
• Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT): utilizes light waves to take a detailed tomography of retina
• Genetic testing: confirms diagnosis of Stargardt disease through DNA analysis

There are no present treatments for Stargardt disease.

Information is courtesy of the National Eye Institute/ National Institutes of Health (NEI/NIH).