EYE-D : a €3.2 million research project focused on fighting blindness
A research project aimed at identifying the cause of some of the most common forms of blindness has received €3.2 million in funding under the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Strategic Partnership Programme.
The EYE-D research project at Trinity College Dublin is part funded by Science Foundation Ireland and involves collaboration from Progressive Vision Research, Roche, Eli Lilly and Fighting Blindness. Science Foundation Ireland will provide €1.3 million funding to EYE-D, matched by the project partners.
Dr. Mark Cahill of Progressive Vision is the Clinical Lead on the EYE-D project.
Professor Mathew Campbell, Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin and Professor Sarah Doyle, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience (TCIN), Trinity College Dublin are the principal investigators.
EYE-D aims to identify new therapeutic treatments for Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, and other inherited diseases that cause vision loss.
Cumulatively, the grant will allow Progressive Vision Research and Trinity College Dublin to commit €400,000 to clinical research aimed at discovering the underlying causes of AMD. This work directly involves patients and will ultimately allow us to better understand and manage the condition. The project aims to examine the blood vessels in the retina at the back of the eye and determine how these blood vessels change during the condition. The ultimate aim of the project is to develop new forms of treatment for patients in the future.
As more people in Ireland live longer the higher the number of cases of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are being diagnosed. More than 100,000 people in Ireland are now living with AMD and it is the number one cause of sight loss for those aged over 50.
One study showed 7.2pc of people aged over 50 in the Republic have age-related macular degeneration. Its prevalence is highest among the over-75s at 13.2pc and affects 5pc of people in the 50-64 year old age group.
Aideen Curtin, CEO, Progressive Vision Research, commenting on the funding said: “We are delighted to support and contribute to the fundamental research into degenerative retinal disease that this award will make possible. We hope that this research will increase our understanding of retinal disease and ultimately may lead to new treatments that will be sight saving for many people”.
To learn more about AMD, please visit https://www.progressivevision.ie/age-related-macular-degeneration or www.amd.ie
#fightingblindess #AMD awareness week #eyedoctors
