Eye research charity Fight for Sight has launched its new campaign which will share the stories of people impacted by sight loss. Entitled 20 Voices for 2020, the campaign will emphasise the personal impact of sight loss through podcasts and videos and make the case for more research into eye conditions.
Rose Roberts, a 15-year-old severely sight impacted girl with Stargadt macular dystrophy appeared on the charity’s podcast. She was diagnosed with the disease at seven years old and since then her eyesight has deteriorated to the point where she no longer has central vision.
She explained: ‘When you suffer from an eye condition it’s not only your vision that’s impaired, it’s your ability to live your life as easily as others. Eye research brings hope of new treatments to people with eye conditions.’
Dr Rubina Ahmed, Fight for Sight's head of research, said: 'We believe 2020 is the right time for us all to be investing more in new therapies to treat eye conditions, many of which are already stopping sight loss and blindness at clinical trial.'
The new campaign will form a part of Fight for Sight's wider 2020 campaign, which will include a major research study into the economic and personal impacts of sight loss. Results due in 2020 will be used to lobby for a national plan on sight loss which ensures eye research gets the funding it needs.