Arbitrary restrictions to cataract surgery and poor care of those with wet Age-related Macular Degeneration (wet AMD) are forcing thousands of people to live with serious and unnecessary sight loss.
This is why Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is looking for patients and carers to take part in two research projects that will identify what needs to be done to improve access to sight-saving treatments.
Leading causes of avoidable sight loss
Cataracts and wet AMD are two of the leading causes of avoidable sight loss in the UK and are set to increase.
Clara Eaglen, RNIB Eye Health Policy and Campaigns Manager, said: "The aim of the research is to examine the impact of restrictions on access to treatments and talk to eye health specialists about how services are delivered.
"We want to hear from people"
"But most importantly, the research will ask patients about the impact that these conditions - and waiting for their treatment - has on their quality of life. We want to hear from people who have had good or bad experiences of NHS treatment and care."
RNIB is looking for 100 people with wet Age-related Macular Degeneration (wAMD) and 100 carers of people with wet AMD for the first study. The charity needs an additional 100 people with cataracts for the second study.
Men and women interested in taking part in the research must have been diagnosed and treated for either condition within the last 3 years. This can include people who are still undergoing treatment or have completed it.
The researchers will interview participants over the phone and interviews will be confidential.
The reports will be published in Spring 2013 and will be essential information to allow RNIB to campaign for PCTs to change their polices and improve access to effective treatments.
SOS campaign
Clara Eaglen continued: "As part of RNIB's Save our Sight (SOS) campaign, we are fighting for the rights of people with sight loss and for better access to sight saving treatments on the NHS.
"The research will help us increase the public profile of the issues in the treatment of these conditions, increase political pressure on PCTs to remove cataract restrictions and improve the treatment outcomes and service delivery for wAMD patients."
If you fit the criteria and would like to get involved in this important research you can contact RNIB's campaigns team on 020 7391 2123 or at campaign@rnib.org.uk by Friday 14 December 2012.
Ends
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Notes to editors
PCT areas that RNIB has particular concerns about:
• Berkshire East
• Berkshire West
• Bournemouth and Poole
• Buckinghamshire
• Bury (we've got history with these chaps!)
• Central and Eastern Cheshire
• Croydon
• Derby City
• Dorset
• Gloucestershire
• Hampshire
• Leicester City
• Leicestershire County
• Norfolk
• Northamptonshire
• Nottingham City
• Oxfordshire
• Sheffield
• South West Essex (just hit south Essex area)
• Stockport
• Suffolk
• Surrey
• Taunton and Somerset
• Trafford
• West Sussex
• Wiltshire
About cataracts: As people age the lens inside the eye gradually changes and becomes less transparent. A lens like this is said to have a cataract Over time a cataract can get worse, gradually making vision mistier.
Cataract affects people in different ways. The impact on daily activities such as driving, doing work that requires fine detail or recognising faces will depend on the type and progression of cataract and how it progresses as well as the ability of the individual to cope with the changes in vision the cataract causes. For some people even a small change to their sight in one eye is a big problem.
A straightforward operation removes the cataract and replaces it with an artificial one that allows the person to see more clearly again. Research has proven the clinical effectiveness of cataract operations and reported significant improvements for many patients. Research has also provided evidence for the benefit of having both rather than one cataract removed. based on clinical and patient reported outcomes.
About wet AMD: Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness. An estimated 500,000 people in the UK suffer from AMD with the majority over the age of 75.
Macular degeneration affects the central vision and can make it difficult to carry out day-to-day activities such as reading and watching television.
Although there is currently no treatment available for the more common, slower progressing 'dry' form of AMD, there are safe, approved treatments for the less common 'wet' form, which can cause devastating sight loss in as little as three months.
Access to treatment is vitally important for those with wet AMD and we believe that where effective treatments exist they should be available in a free and timely manner to those that need them on the NHS.
About RNIB: Every day around 100 people in the UK start to lose their sight. There are around 2 million people in the UK with sight problems. RNIB is the leading charity working in the UK offering practical support, advice and information for anyone with sight difficulties. If you, or someone you know, has a sight problem RNIB can help. Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk