Fight for Sight award new grants for glaucoma research

Fight for Sight, the UK’s leading eye research charity, has awarded two new grants totalling £350,000 for research into glaucoma – one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in the UK.

Glaucoma refers to a range of eye conditions which cause damage to the optic nerve and are often associated with raised pressure in the eye. Glaucoma affects 1 in 50 people over the age of 40 in the UK and yet half of people affected are unaware of their condition.

National Glaucoma Awareness Week, from 7 – 13 June 2010, is highlighting the importance of regular eye tests for detecting glaucoma in its early stages. There is currently no treatment available to reverse the damage caused by glaucoma so early detection is vital for preventing sight loss.

Fight for Sight research grants

Dr Forbes Manson at The University of Manchester has been awarded a grant of £151,442 to support his research into the causes of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) – one of the most common forms of the condition. 

In POAG, increased pressure causes damage to the cells at the back of the eye often leading to permanent blindness. Dr Manson’s research aims to identify one of the genes that causes POAG. He says: “The identification of a new POAG gene will be a major step forward and will enable the early detection and treatment of individuals likely to develop the disease, which is vital for avoiding permanent blindness.” 

Dr Barbara Lorber at the University of Cambridge has been awarded a grant of £199,971 through the Fight for Sight Early Career Investigator Award which is helping young researchers to progress their career in vision research.

Dr Lorber will look at transplanting specialist cells into the eye and optic nerve to repair the damage caused by glaucoma. Dr Lorber said: “Harnessing the positive potential of these specialist retinal cells may open up new avenues in the treatment of glaucoma.”

Michèle Acton, Fight for Sight Chief Executive, said: “Glaucoma is the second most common cause of sight loss worldwide. By funding new research into the causes of this serious condition and supporting the development of new treatments we are offering real hope to the huge number of people affected by glaucoma.”

[ends]

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

For more information about National Glaucoma Awareness Week
visit www.glaucoma-association.com

 

Note 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 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 48,000 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 is focusing on preventing and treating age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataract. We are also funding research into the causes of childhood blindness and a large number of rare eye diseases.

www.fightforsight.org.uk

 2) Glaucoma
International Glaucoma Awareness week runs from 7 – 13 June 2010. It aims to highlight the importance of regular eye tests for detecting glaucoma.

It is recommend that everyone should have an eye test at least every two years but people over the age of 60 and people at higher risk of developing glaucoma should have an eye test every year.

• Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in the UK today.
• It affects 2% of the population over the age of 40.
• Glaucoma accounts for 13 - 14% of the people on the blind register in England and Wales.
• In most cases, early detection means glaucoma can be treated effectively and further vision loss prevented.
• There are currently no treatments available to reverse the damage caused by glaucoma.

www.glaucoma-association.com.