Fight for Sight announces £500,000 programme grant

Fight for Sight has announced £500,000 funding for a new research programme to develop an optimal model of care services for patients with inherited retinal diseases.

The five-year programme will be led by Professor Graeme Black, Director of the National Institute for Health Research Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, supported by Professor Tony Moore of Moorfields Eye Hospital and Miss Susie Downes of Oxford Eye Hospital.

Genetic disorders account for over half of childhood visual impairment and one in 3,500 of the population is affected by inherited retinal diseases. Although there is no effective prevention or cure, research has identified many of the genes that cause inherited retinal disease and a free national service for genetic testing exists in the UK. However, access to the testing and the standard of support available to patients varies throughout the country. 

Working with patients and health professionals, Professor Black will examine existing effective models of care provision for families with genetic retinal diseases and will use the findings to develop an optimal clinical and diagnostic care service. The research programme will also investigate the potential of new technologies in DNA sequencing to identify patients with faults in genes known to cause eye disease and to identify new genes.

Professor Black said of his award: “I am delighted to be working with Fight for Sight. There is an increasing recognition that we need to improve our understanding of the needs of those with inherited conditions that cause reduced vision. This research will help us to ensure that provision of care, and in particular of genetic testing, is as broadly available as possible.”

Michèle Acton, Chief Executive of Fight for Sight, is delighted the charity is able to fund this important work: “The outcome of this research funded by Fight for Sight will make a real difference to patients and families living with inherited eye disease.”

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For more information call Louise Elliott at Fight for Sight
on 020 7929 7755 or visit our website: www.fightforsight.org.uk

Notes for Editors:
1) Fight for Sight
Fight for Sight is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to funding world-class research into the prevention and treatment of blindness and eye disease.

Since 1965, the charity has funded millions of pounds worth of research at leading universities and hospitals throughout the UK. Our major achievements in this time include:
• saving the sight of thousands of  premature babies through understanding and controlling levels of oxygen delivery;
• restoring sight by establishing the UK Corneal Transplant Service enabling over 45,000 corneal transplants to take place;
• revolutionising the treatment for children with amblyopia (lazy eye);
• bringing hope to children with inherited eye disease by helping fund the team responsible for the world’s first gene therapy clinical trial; and 
• providing £1million for the research unit at the dedicated children’s eye centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital.

Fight for Sight’s current research programme of over £5million focuses on preventing and treating age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataract as well as causes of childhood blindness.

2) The National Institute for Health Research Manchester Biomedical Research Centre

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) is a partnership between the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Manchester. www.cmft.nhs.uk/brc/biomedical-research-centre.aspx

The NIHR provides the framework through which the research staff and research infrastructure of the NHS in England is positioned, maintained and managed as a national research facility.  The NIHR provides the NHS with the support and infrastructure it needs to conduct first-class research funded by the Government and its partners alongside high-quality patient care, education and training.  Its aim is to support outstanding individuals (both leaders and collaborators), working in world-class facilities (both NHS and university) conducting leading edge research focused on the needs of patients. www.nihr.ac.uk

The BRC also receives funding from the North West Regional Development Agency.