Medical Perspective: Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Human Sight in the Future

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 remining 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)

Benedictine Monastery on the Island of Rab Hides the Mystery of Sunlight Influence on Development of Macular Degeneration (AMD). Is a Harmful Sunligh, Risk Factor or Cause of Macular Degeneration?

Benedictine Monastery of St. Andrew is probably the oldest existing Benedictine monastery in this area. According to hundreds of years of legend, it was founded in 1018 year. In clinical examination about the possibility of the macular degeneration occurrence in 15 Benedictine sisters, we found the age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in two cases only. In 13 other sisters aging 27, 60, 67 years, the fundus picture was like in a baby, vision, visual field and meridian thresholds were normal. What is the explanation for this phenomenon? Two sisters with AMD work and live as the farm workers, but the other sisters live in closed monastery with very low natural sunlight, approximately 300–500 lx. In conclusion, the earlier author’s experimental and clinical works follow the consequence that without exposure of eyes to harmful higher doses of sunlight, it is not possible to develop AMD. The harmful cumulative dose of sunlight is not the risk factor, but the cause, including the inheritance, for AMD development

Chromotherapy of Macular Degeneration with Transitions Lenses and Green-Yellow Medical Filters and Special Programme for Psychoorganic Disturbances

Optical spectrum of the sunlight consists of visible or chromatic spectrum, with the range of wavelengths of electromagnetic vibrations from 7700 to 3900 AU, and the invisible spectrum: infrared and ultraviolet. Chromatic cpectrum gives rise to the sensation of colour, capable for simulating specialized retinal photoreceptors and is perceptible as light. This rule of perception of the particular range of the optical spectrum goes mainly for man, while particular deviations, more or less, are applicable to the rest of animal and plant life. The optical part of the spectrum belongs to nonionizing radiation. It created the life on the Earth, maintaining it nowadays and even threatening the human organ of vision, because the retina had not been yet adequately accomodated through evolution with its photoreactive metabolism. Human retina is very sensitive about possible harmful influence of ultraviolet and blue light even today in evolution, but also phototoxic on complete strong visible light. In their clinical and experimental work on animals, the authors prove with their own patent (P 20020077A)-Vojnikovi} B&D, and in collaboration with Essilor Optic Austria GmbH, that particular medical filters in the range of green-yellow colour especially (565 to 570 nm), and in combination with »Transitions« successfully threat macular degeneration–AMD, slowing down its progression and having positive psychoorganic effect on the depressive mood of such patients with threatened sight. Full attention has been paid to the design of medical filter, so the periphery of the lens plays a positive role in blood concentration of melatonin, while the central part stimulates the sight and the concentartion of serotonine. Thus the physiological balance of melatonin and serotonin and the stability of psychophysical disturbances have been achieved

Gullstrand’s Optical Schematic System of the Eye – Modified by Vojniković & Tamajo

According to early examination (Vojnikovi}, 1978) estimated, that the index of refraction for aqueous and vitreous is not the sum (1.33 or 1.66), than is for aqueous n = 1.334, and for vitreous N = 1.336. This measurements are made with Abbe’s refractometer, by temperature of 33 °C for aqueous, and 36 °C for vitreous, as it’s in human eye. In the principle of these results, the authors calculated the new values of cardinal points for the eye, and compared with Gullstrand’s optical schematic eye. So, the refractive power for the eye F= 59.98 D, first focal length f1= – 16.67 mm and second focal length f2 = + 22.27 m