Wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the UK and mainly affects the over 65s.  The number of people at risk of developing wet AMD is expected to grow significantly as the population ages.

A new campaign, supported by Leicester’s Hospitals and Leicestershire sight loss charity , Vista aims to raise awareness of wet AMD and its signs and symptoms among older people in the Leicester area, encouraging those over 65 to see their optician if they have any concerns.

The campaign, running during National Eye Health Week (NEHW), will ask ‘Is one eye covering up the problem?’ to highligh how wet AMD can affect one or both eyes and sometimes the healthier eye can compensate for any loss of sight.People at risk are encouraged to check their vision in both eyes by covering up one eye and looking straight ahead.

Symptoms of wet AMD include; difficulty in reading small print even with reading glasses; straight lines appearing wavy or distorted; or blurred vision.  It affects the part of the eye which sees fine detail (central vision), so can make everyday tasks such as driving, cooking, reading and seeing faces very difficult.  The risk of developing the disease increases with age, having a family history of wet AMD and smoking.

Theo Empeslidis, a consultant ophthalmologist based at Leicester Royal Infirmary, explains the importance of this campaign:  “Wet AMD is an aggressive form of macular degeneration and, if left untreated, can cause severe vision loss within weeks.  This campaign is all about asking people over the age of 65 to cover up one eye at a time and look straight ahead and check their sight.

“Difficulties reading or blurred vision are not necessarily signs of old age. If you have any concerns, make an appointment with an optician and ask about macular degeneration. The earlier we’re able to diagnose and treat wet AMD, the more sight we’re likely to save.” The new research also shows only 14 per cent of people who were aware of wet AMD were able to correctly identify at least one sign or symptom of the condition.

Paul Bott, Chief Executive of Vista adds: “These results highlight the worrying fact that the majority of people in Leicestershire who are at high risk of developing wet AMD have never heard of the disease and can’t identify the main signs and symptoms.

“Wet AMD is the biggest cause of preventable sight loss in this country and, as we get older, our risk of developing the condition increases greatly.  These days we’re all living longer so it’s in everybody’s interests to take five minutes to find out a bit more about this campaign because it could make all the difference to saving your sight.  Pick up a leaflet, call our helpline or speak to your optician if you have any concerns.”

Further information about wet AMD is available at www.vistablind.org.uk