Running the extra mile for glaucoma research

Keven Wallace, from Bromley in Kent, will run this year’s London Marathon to raise money for glaucoma research - an eye condition that affects him and his 10-year-old son Harry.

 

Glaucoma is the name for a range of eye conditions that cause damage to the optic nerve. It affects 1 in 50 people over the age of 40 in the UK. World Glaucoma Day on 12 March 2010 aims to raise awareness of the condition and the importance of early detection for treating glaucoma and preventing sight loss.

 

Fight for Sight, the UK’s largest eye research charity, is currently funding research into improved glaucoma treatments at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, the University of Liverpool and the University of Cambridge. One project led by Dr Steven Dakin is focusing on identifying the early signs of glaucoma. Dr Dakin says: “With Fight for Sight’s support, we are working on a new test that will enable the detection of glaucoma before significant sight loss occurs."

 

Keven, along with 22 other London Marathon runners, is aiming to raise over £1500 to help Fight for Sight prevent and treat eye conditions like glaucoma. He said:

 “A marathon is a massive challenge but I know that all my training and pain on the day will be worth it if I can help researchers find a treatment for glaucoma.”

 

To support Keven’s fundraising, visit: http://www.justgiving.com/Keven-Wallace.

 

[ends]

 

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

Note for Editors:

 

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 £5 million focuses on preventing and treating age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataract as well as the causes of childhood blindness.

 

March 12 2010 will be the third World Glaucoma Day (WGD). It is a joint global initiative from the World Glaucoma Association (WGA) and the World Glaucoma Patient Association (WGPA). For more information visit www.wgday.net.

 

Find out more about glaucoma.