Tributes paid to Macular Society president and founding member

The Macular Society is deeply saddened to announce the death of our president Mr Timothy ffytche who was also one of the organisation’s founding members.

Tim played an instrumental role in establishing the Society in 1987. The retired eye surgeon was approached by Elizabeth Thomas who was alarmed by the lack of support available to her, and other people with macular disease.

With Tim’s support she founded the Macular Society (then, the Macular Disease Society) to enable people with the condition to support each other. Tim gave the opening lecture at the charity’s inaugural meeting in October 1987 and has since been a member of its Board as a trustee

A committed supporter and adviser 

Over the decades, he remained a committed supporter, adviser, and advocate for people living with macular disease. In February 2021, he was appointed president of the Society, a role he carried out with great dedication.

As a highly respected ophthalmic surgeon Tim was a consultant at St Thomas’ Hospital and Moorfields Eye Hospital, and also at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases.  

Reflecting in recent years about the early days of the Macular Society, Tim said he had never discovered why Elizabeth Thomas chose to write to him. He said: “Whatever the reason, I was sufficiently intrigued to agree to meet her and two other members of her group, and not long after to attend the group’s first meeting.”

The meeting was arranged by Amresh Chopdar who was a consultant at the East Surrey Hospital, Redhill. On 3 October 1987, around 100 people filled the hospital’s gym to hear Elizabeth’s welcome, and a talk from Tim and Amresh.

The need for a national society

Tim said: “We all agreed that a national organisation was needed to help people with macular disease. A committee for the Macular Disease Society was set up that day, with Elizabeth elected as its Chairman. Later she became its first president. 

“The rest, as they say, is history. A lot has changed since then, but the Society still has as its heart the three aims of the patients Elizabeth Thomas collected under her wing: support, information and research. “How proud I am that 34 years later I am in a position to make sure that it continues to follow the same path.”

Tim also served as a surgeon-oculist to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Household for 21 years.

In 1996 Tim received the Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO), an honour given for extraordinary, important or personal services to The Queen or to the Royal Family.

A lasting legacy

Tim also made a lasting contribution internationally and before he retired was chairman of the European region of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.

Cecilia Bufton, chair of the Macular Society, said: “We are immensely grateful for Tim’s tremendous contribution to the Society and his unwavering commitment to improving the lives of people living with macular disease. His expertise and his passion for supporting others made him invaluable to the Society and its work over the last four decades.

“His legacy will continue through the lives of those supported by the Macular Society.

“We extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.”