Mickey

Stargardt's Disease

History

In 1909 Stargardt's was first discovered by Karl Stargardt, a German opthalmologist
In 1963 two scientists, Hadden and Gass, proved that Stragrdt's was the same disease as Fundus Flavimaculatus
Almost 90 years after the discovery of Stargardt's, in 1997 scientists proved that Stargardt's was a genetic disorder

Signs/Symptoms

Early Symptoms

Blurred vision not correctable with glasses or contact lenses
Difficulty adapting from bright sunlight to a dimmer room
Central blind spot

Later Symptoms

Progressive deteriation of central vision
Misssing areas of central vision
Color blindness (in later stages of Stargardt's)

Cause

Stargardt's is caused when both parents of the child have a mutated ABCR gene
That being said, the parents don't have to actually show signs/symptoms of the disease
They can just be carriers of this mutation in the ABCR gene
Sunlight can trigger Stargardt's
Eye exposure to sunlight and consuming Vitamin A can speed up the deteriation of the macula in Stargardt's patient's eyes

Treatments

There are no know treatments to cure Stargardt's
In some cases of Stargardt's, patients with it can take vitamin supplements to slow down the loss of vision in their eyes
On November 22, 2010, some patients with Stargardt's were injected with stem cells
They are now testing those patients to see their side affects and try to use this study to help find a cure to Stargart's