VE donation to help ‘inadequate’ macular research

A renewed partnership between Vision Express and the Macular Society has helped boost investment in the charity’s research.

In a tie-up launched during an event in London last week, macular disease was described as an urgent public health issue forecasted to reach epidemic proportions.

An extra £6m per year needed to be invested in research, according to Macular Society chief executive Cathy Yelf.

In an escalation of previous estimates, nearly 1.5m people in the UK were affected by macular disease, the charity said, with 300 people facing a shock diagnosis every day. Public funding remained ‘woefully inadequate’.

Yelf added: ‘Our new strategy sets out what needs to do be done to avert an epidemic of blindness in the UK, and increased funding is absolutely critical.