It was standing room only at the House of Commons last week where AMD Alliance International held a reception on how health services are coping with the leading cause of vision loss.
There was a chilly opening to affairs, as hosts at the Thames Pavilion venue at first tackled an over-active air conditioning system and a winter chill swept off the river. Before long heat blasted through the marquee and eye care professionals warmed to many of the presented ideas and solutions. Short, sharp talks were provided by representatives from parliament, eye health charities and the pharmaceuticals sector. As expected, regular eye tests were identified as central to the early detection of AMD. But patient perspectives also highlighted how important support and aftercare was following diagnosis.
The condition was described by one patient as not only affecting his sight but also his personal life – job, hobbies and even relationships. New treatment options mean AMD today is more manageable than decades gone by, but the prospect of regular eye injections and loss of central vision should be urgent enough to keep AMD and sight loss on the political agenda for good. Indeed, one suggestion from a speaker to cast an eye silhouette on the London Eye – easily visible from Westminster – each World Sight Day would serve as a powerful reminder to both politicians and the public about the importance of eye health.
