Moorfields raising awareness on World Glaucoma Day

Moorfields raising awareness on World Glaucoma Day 12 March 2009

Moorfields will be working alongside the RNIB and the International Glaucoma Association (IGA) to promote the second World Glaucoma Day, which takes place on 12 March 2009.
Launched in 2008 as a joint initiative between the World Glaucoma Association and the World Glaucoma Patient Association, the day is designed to increase awareness of the condition and promote the importance of regular eye checks to detect glaucoma in its early stages.
Glaucoma is the most common cause of preventable blindness. It is estimated there are 67 million glaucoma sufferers in the world, but over 50% of these are undiagnosed.
 
As last year, experts from Moorfields will be participating in a test session at the House of Commons to demonstrate new technologies for diagnosing glaucoma, as well as working with the media to promote awareness of the condition.
Moorfields will be supporting the RNIB with the test session for MPs at the House of Commons on Wednesday 11 March, which will be hosted by Sandra Gidleys MP, chair of the all-party Parliamentary Group on Eye Health.
 On Thursday 12 March, Moorfields will be supporting in conjunction with the RNIB a similar test session led by the IGA for journalists at the Commonwealth Institute.
These sessions will be an opportunity for MPs and journalist to have their own eyes tested with some of the latest technology under development for the future diagnosis of glaucoma, including the Moorfields motion displacement test (MDT) for assessment of field of vision. The Moorfields MDT www.moorfieldsmdt.co.uk) was overall winner of the MRC Translational Innovation Awards in the 2008 Medical Futures competition.
Also on World Glaucoma Day at Moorfields City Road hospital, the IGA will be hosting a stand for patients to pick up information and get advice on glaucoma. Moorfields will be working alongside the RNIB and the International Glaucoma Association (IGA) to promote the second World Glaucoma Day, which takes place on 12 March 2009.Launched in 2008 as a joint initiative between the World Glaucoma Association and the World Glaucoma Patient Association, the day is designed to increase awareness of the condition and promote the importance of regular eye checks to detect glaucoma in its early stages. Glaucoma is the most common cause of preventable blindness. It is estimated there are 67 million glaucoma sufferers in the world, but over 50% of these are undiagnosed.  As last year, experts from Moorfields will be participating in a test session at the House of Commons to demonstrate new technologies for diagnosing glaucoma, as well as working with the media to promote awareness of the condition. Moorfields will be supporting the RNIB with the test session for MPs at the House of Commons on Wednesday 11 March, which will be hosted by Sandra Gidleys MP, chair of the all-party Parliamentary Group on Eye Health.  On Thursday 12 March, Moorfields will be supporting in conjunction with the RNIB a similar test session led by the IGA for journalists at the Commonwealth Institute.These sessions will be an opportunity for MPs and journalist to have their own eyes tested with some of the latest technology under development for the future diagnosis of glaucoma, including the Moorfields motion displacement test (MDT) for assessment of field of vision. The Moorfields MDT )was overall winner of the MRC Translational Innovation Awards in the 2008 Medical Futures competition.Also on World Glaucoma Day at Moorfields City Road hospital, the IGA will be hosting a stand for patients to pick up information and get advice on glaucoma

Ends

Notes to editors

About World Glaucoma Day

• March 12th, 2009 will be the second World Glaucoma Day (WGD) a joint global initiative of the World Glaucoma Association (WGA) & the World Glaucoma Patient Association (WGPA). World Glaucoma Day aims to educate people how to assess their risk of glaucoma and to be aware of the importance of regular eye exams and disease detection. It also seeks to provide support for diagnosed patients and for members of the advocacy community. Multiple events are taking place globally. In the UK, World Glaucoma Day is co-ordinated by Mr Faisal Ahmed and the UK Glaucoma Alliance.

About Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

•  Opened in 1805, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the world’s leading centres for ophthalmic treatment, teaching and research.  In 2004, we became one of the first NHS foundation trusts in the UK.
• We treat the entire range of eye diseases from cataracts, corneal and retinal conditions, to more complex conditions.  Our eminent reputation means that patients come to us not only from all over the UK, but from around the world
• With our research partners at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, we are embarking on an exciting programme of research in order to find cures for diseases that are currently untreatable – UCL Partners, of which Moorfields is a part, was recently named as one of the first accredited academic health science centres in the UK. For further information about Moorfields, please visit www.moorfields.nhs.uk.

About MDT

• The Moorfields motion displacement test (MDT) is under development by Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and City University London. It is a new test of the field of vision and runs on a standard laptop, offering affordability and portability for case finding in the community. It was overall winner of the Medical Research Council (MRC) award for translational research in the 2008 Medical Futures competition.       www.moorfieldsmdt.co.uk   

About glaucoma

• Glaucoma is the world's leading cause of irreversible blindness and the second most frequent cause of sight impairment in the UK, as well as a common cause of falls in older people.
• Worldwide, 67 million people are estimated to suffer from the condition, with more than half undiagnosed
• In the UK, one in 50 people over the age of 40 has the condition.  High risk groups include older people, those with a family history of glaucoma and people of west African origin.
• Of the 500,000 people affected in the UK, half are not receiving treatment because they do not have regular eye tests.
• Glaucoma is not curable, but blindness is preventable if the glaucoma is diagnosed and treated early enough.  While there are usually no warning signs, regular eye tests will help detect the onset of the disease.

 About IGA 

• The International Glaucoma Association (IGA) is the charity for people with glaucoma, with the mission to raise awareness of glaucoma, promote research related to early diagnosis and treatment and to provide support to patients and all those who care for them. For information, advice and support on glaucoma, please contact our Sightline on 01233 64 81 70 or visit our website: www.glaucoma-association.com.

About RNIB

• Every day another 100 people in the UK will start to lose their sight. There are around two million people in the UK with sight problems. RNIB is the leading charity working in the UK offering practical support, advice and information for anyone with sight difficulties. If you, or someone you know, has a sight problem RNIB can help. Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk.

About UK Glaucoma Alliance

• The UK Glaucoma Alliance is a collaboration of many ‘visual impairment’ charities, professional and trade bodies representing ophthalmology, optometry and the pharmaceutical industry which aims to raise the status of glaucoma at local and national government level to the benefit of glaucoma patients across the UK.