A new report highlights how healthcare professionals can help prevent unnecessary sight loss in wet AMD patients.
The focus is on being able to spot the signs of the condition and help patients get faster referral for treatment.
Wet AMD - or wet age-related macular degeneration - is an eye condition that affects 40,000 older people every year. As wet AMD can develop very quickly, resulting in loss of central vision, urgent referral to a hospital eye clinic is vital.
Don't lose sight! Don't delay!
The report - Don't lose sight! Don't delay! - is part of RNIB's Save our Sight (SOS) campaign.
Wet AMD can affect people's vision in different ways and possible symptoms include blurred vison, blank spots in vision and eyes that are sensitive to light.
Wet AMD can lead to sight loss in as little as three months. This is why it's vital that patients are diagnosed in the clinic within seven days, and that treatment commences within the next week, in line with The Royal College of Ophthalmologists guidance.
Report findings
The report reveals that two thirds (63 per cent) of wet AMD patients were not aware of the condition prior to diagnosis.
Other key findings from the report highlight include that:
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the time taken from first clinical contact to diagnosis varies greatly, with 69 per cent of cases being diagnosed outside of the recommended seven days
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a lack of knowledge of wet AMD symptoms by healthcare professionals causes delays in diagnosis
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preventable delays in diagnosis were caused by GPs or optometrists not adhering to referral procedures or bouncing patients between each other.
Urgent referrals
Clara Eaglen, Policy and Campaigns Manager for Eye Health at RNIB, said: "RNIB is calling on healthcare professionals working with people over 50 to spot the signs of wet AMD and help save the sight of thousands more patients.
"We are asking them to make every contact count by asking at risk groups to visit an optometrist immediately if their vision changes or if they start to see wavy lines. It's vital that patients get an urgent referral for diagnosis and treatment within 14 days."
More information
Find out more about wet AMD and how you can support people.
Spot the signs of AMD.