The high rate of myopia among young Taiwanese could be the main contributing factor to an increase in retinal detachments, doctors said, citing National Health Insurance Administration statistics.
Retinal detachment is more prevalent in Taiwan than in other nations, especially among those aged 20 to 30, research by Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Department of Ophthalmology doctor Wu Pei-chang (吳佩昌) showed.
Thirteen times more people in the age group have the condition compared with the Netherlands, Wu said, adding that the agency’s statistics showed that more than 100 young people undergo surgery for retinal detachment every year.
Photo: Lin Huei-chin, Taipei Times
The high prevalence of retinal detachment is directly related to the large number of people with high myopia, Wu said.
High myopia is nearsightedness requiring at least minus-6.0 diopters of lens correction.
According to the statistics, the number of people with high myopia has increased by 35 percent over the past five years, or by 5,000 people, Wu said, calling it a “warning sign.”
The prevalence rate for retinal detachment averages about 15 to 17 people per 100,000, National Taiwan Hospital University Department of Ophthalmology doctor Yang Chang-hao (楊長豪) said.
People aged 20 to 30 and those older than 50 are the two primary groups who tend to experience retinal detachments. People in the former group usually develop the condition due to myopia, while the latter develop it due to regression of the vitreous body, or the fluid that separates the lens and the retina, Yang said.
Unlike the US or Europe, more young Taiwanese have the condition than older Taiwanese, Yang said.
The high prevalence among young people should be considered a kind of disease, as myopia could lead to retinopathy, Yang said.
These conditions cannot be treated with laser surgery, Yang added, urging young people to change their habits or risk their condition developing complications.
Cheng Hsin General Hospital doctor Hsu Tsui-kang (許粹剛) said he suspects that the increased use of electronics is related to the growing number of people seeking treatment for retinal detachment.
The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is to tighten rules for candidates running for public office, requiring them to declare that they do not hold a Chinese household registration or passport, and that they possess no other foreign citizenship. The requirement was set out in a draft amendment to the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法 ) released by the ministry on Thursday. Under the proposal, candidates would need to make the declaration when submitting their registration forms, which would be published in the official election bulletin. The move follows the removal of several elected officials who were
The Republic of China (ROC) is celebrating its 114th Double Ten National Day today, featuring military parades and a variety of performances and speeches in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei. The Taiwan Taiko Association opened the celebrations with a 100-drummer performance, including young percussionists. As per tradition, an air force Mirage 2000 fighter jet flew over the Presidential Office as a part of the performance. The Honor Guards of the ROC and its marching band also heralded in a military parade. Students from Taichung's Shin Min High School then followed with a colorful performance using floral imagery to represent Taiwan's alternate name
FOUR DESIGNATED AREAS: Notices were issued for live-fire exercises in waters south and northwest of Penghu, northeast of Keelung and west of Kaohsiung, they said The military is planning three major annual exercises across the army, navy and air force this month, with the navy’s “Hai Chiang” (海強, “Sea Strong”) drills running from today through Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The Hai Chiang exercise, which is to take place in waters surrounding Taiwan, would feature P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and S-70C anti-submarine helicopters, the ministry said, adding that the drills aim to bolster the nation’s offshore defensive capabilities. China has intensified military and psychological pressure against Taiwan, repeatedly sending warplanes and vessels into areas near the nation’s air defense identification zone and across
COVETED PRIZE: The US president would be a peace prize laureate should he persuade Xi Jinping to abandon military aggression against Taiwan, William Lai said US President Donald Trump should get the Nobel Peace Prize should he be able to convince Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to abandon the use of force against Taiwan, President William Lai (賴清德) told a conservative US radio show and podcast in an interview. The US is Taiwan’s most important international backer, despite the absence of formal ties, but since Trump took office earlier this year he has not announced any new arms sales to the nation. Trump could meet Xi at the APEC summit in South Korea on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Lai, speaking on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton