Charity announces new funding for glaucoma research
Press release, 25 June 2010
A University of Manchester researcher has been awarded more than £150,000 by a leading eye-research charity to examine the genetic causes of glaucoma – one of the chief causes of preventable blindness in the UK.
Fight for Sight has announced it will give £151,442 to support the research of Dr Forbes Manson, a lecturer in Ophthalmology based in the School of Biomedicine.
Glaucoma refers to a range of eye conditions which cause damage to the optic nerve and are often associated with raised pressure in the eye. It affects one in 50 people over the age of 40 in the UK and yet half of people affected are unaware of their condition.
Dr Manson’s research is concerned with the causes of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) – one of the most common forms of the condition.
In POAG, increased pressure causes damage to the cells at the back of the eye often leading to permanent blindness. Dr Manson’s research aims to identify one of the genes that causes POAG.
He said: “The identification of a new POAG gene will be a major step forward and will enable the early detection and treatment of individuals likely to develop the disease, which is vital for avoiding permanent blindness.”
Fight for Sight Chief Executive Michèle Acton said: “Glaucoma is the second most common cause of sight loss worldwide. By funding new research into the causes of this serious condition and supporting the development of new treatments we are offering real hope to the huge number of people affected by glaucoma.”
Ends
Notes to editors
About glaucoma
- Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in the UK today
- It affects 2% of the population over the age of 40
- Glaucoma accounts for 13-14% of the people on the blind register in England and Wales
- In most cases, early detection means glaucoma can be treated effectively and further vision loss prevented
- There are currently no treatments available to reverse the damage caused by glaucoma
- International Glaucoma Awareness week aims to highlight the importance of regular eye tests for detecting glaucoma
- It is recommended that everyone should have an eye test at least every two years but people over the age of 60 and people at higher risk of developing glaucoma should have an eye test every year
Fight for Sight
Fight for Sight is dedicated to funding world-class research into the prevention and treatment of blindness and eye disease. Its current research programme focuses on preventing and treating age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataract. It is also funding research into the causes of childhood blindness and a large number of rare eye diseases.
Further information
Please contact:
Aeron Haworth
Media Relations
Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences
The University of Manchester
Tel: +44 (0)161 275 8383
Mob: +44 (0)7717 881563
Email: aeron.haworth@manchester.ac.uk
