Nedzvetska O. V.¹, Kolot A. V.², Kovtun M. I.²

¹Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Kharkiv, Ukraine
²Municipal L. L. Hirshman Hospital no. 14, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Abstract. Risk factors for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) include age, diseases of the cardiovascular system (atherosclerosis and hypertension), smoking, excessive exposure to light and ultraviolet radiation, an unbalanced diet et al. The retina is involved not only in the implementation of the visual process, and performs energy-information function, since the momentum transfer from the incoming stream of light on it structures of the central nervous system.

 Aim. The aim of the work was to study the production of the hormone melatonin, and features of a light evening and night mode of patients with AMD on the results of the survey.

 Material and methods. A total of 230 patients with various stages of AMD were investigated using a specially designed questionnaire. In the same patients it was studied day and night excretion of the hormone melatonin.

 Results. Analysis of the survey showed that in contrast with the control group of patients with various stages of AMD sleep disorders encountered in 3–4 times more likely, late falling asleep and sleeping in dimly lit rooms – more than in 4 times more likely, late watching television – almost in 3 times likely. Early falling asleep (“larks”) in the control group met on average 10 times higher than in patients with exudative АMD. The findings suggest that among the factors of violation of diurnal light conditions in patients with different stages of AMD the most important is the extension of the residence time in the conditions of artificial light in the evening and at night due to sleep late, sleep in the half lit room, late watching TV. The data that 21 people (26.9 %) of the control group with long hours browsing TV-shows have been identified without AMD, as well as smaller numbers of other violations of light daily regimen in people without AMD suggest that the factor of violation of the light regime is important but not the only provocative factor in AMD development. The observed decline in day and night excretion of the hormone melatonin in patients with different stages of AMD can be related both to overwhelming for the production of melatonin effect of artificial light in the evening and at night, and with factors such as patient age and others.

 Conclusion. These data suggest that factor of mode light disorders can be an important factor in the provocation of AMD development. It can be considered promising in further studies on the relationship of AMD, light conditions and disorders of the neuroendocrine factors as production of the hormone melatonin.

Keywords: age-related macular degeneration, the hormone melatonin, light regime. 

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Received: 29 March 2016

Published: July 2016