Latest news

What could the latest gene therapy project mean for you?

Posted: Wednesday 20 February 2019

This week saw the announcement that a lady from Oxford has become the first person in the world to have gene therapy to try to halt the progression of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Many people have been asking what this means for them.

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Gene therapy – the future of treatments for macular disease?

Posted: Tuesday 19 February 2019

Gene therapy is a medical technique that may sound like it’s from the pages of science fiction, but it is moving closer and closer to becoming a part of medicine.

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First gene therapy trial for most common cause of blindness

Posted: Tuesday 19 February 2019

A woman from Oxford has become the first person in the world to have gene therapy to try to halt the progression of her eye condition.Surgeons injected a synthetic gene into the back of Janet Osborne's eye in a bid to prevent more cells from dying.It is …

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Workforce Census illustrates the severe shortage of eye doctors in the UK

Posted: Friday 15 February 2019

A new 2018 census by The Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) identifies gaps in recruitment of ophthalmologists and workforce planning amid a predicted 40% increase in demand over the next 20 years.The census reveals that there is a severe shorta…

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Grant will provide vital support to those losing their sight

Posted: Thursday 14 February 2019

People with macular disease will be able to access the Society's emotional support services, thanks to a grant from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Freemasons.The grant of £99,070, aims to make real the pledge of “Making Sure No One Faces Sight loss Alone” f…

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Quality standard published for wet AMD patients

Posted: Wednesday 13 February 2019

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published its first quality standard looking at serious eye disorders, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, cataracts and the prevention of sight loss.The quality sta…

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“I know now that I am strong enough to face whatever Stargardt has in store for me”

Posted: Wednesday 30 January 2019

Hannah, aged 22, remembers the day she was diagnosed very clearly.

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“My job is working with scripts and I just had a terrible time"

Posted: Monday 28 January 2019

As “loving but controlling” Ambridge matriarch Jill Archer, Patricia Greene will be familiar to anyone who’s tuned into The Archers on BBC Radio 4 over the last 61 years.

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Avoiding the needle

Posted: Thursday 17 January 2019

We have previously looked at the potential of eye drops to replace injections as a treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) – but that’s far from the only approach being tested.Regular anti-VEGF injections are a lifeline for many people with …

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Tips for VIPs: Getting active

Posted: Monday 14 January 2019

What are your top tips for staying active as a visually impaired person?In our winter edition of Sideview we included some of your advice about exercise, activity and getting moving.Wheels or waterCycling on a tandem is great fun, because you can chat ea…

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Where next for AMD and Stargardt research? Part II: Lasers, ozone and acupuncture

Posted: Monday 7 January 2019

A team from Warwick Medical School examined the evidence, or lack of it, for a wide range of physical treatments that have been tried in dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Stargardt disease.Dry AMDThe list of possible treatments is long and d…

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"We all want a cure for macular disease – that’s why we’re here"

Posted: Friday 14 December 2018

This year all the money raised from our Christmas appeal will go towards research, with an aim of ending macular disease for good.

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