This week is Macular Week (25 June – 1 July), highlighting the importance of having regular eye examinations to detect such diseases, as well as raising awareness of the condition.
BBR Optometry is supporting the week, organised by the Macular Society, raising awareness among patients at its practice in St Owen Street, Hereford.
“Macular disease is a condition that affects many people. There are several forms of the disease, although Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the most common. It is a degenerative disease that causes loss to the central vision,” said Daniel Read, practice manager.
“Other types include health-related conditions and diabetic macular edema. Without getting too much into the detail of the medical conditions, it’s safe to say that a regular eye examination is the best way to spot signs of Macular disease and many other health-related conditions.
“There are two types of AMD, wet and dry. While there is no treatment for dry AMD, there is for wet. And this is another reason why an eye examination can detect and allow the early treatment of it.”
BBR Optometry was the first optometry practice in the UK to have 3D Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) a revolutionary eye imaging device that can detect a wide range of retinal disorders and diseases because it looks under the retinal surface.
In addition BBR also has the Optos California, another retinal imaging device allows an immediate 200-degree view of a patient’s eye in a single scan, providing a high-resolution image in less than half a second.
“We invested in the retinal imaging device as it’s an important part of our service to customers. In fact in our opinion it is no longer satisfactory to offer a standard Sight Test to people at risk of ARMD. We always offer an eye examination which will include the above scans and, if necessary pupil dilation,” added Chairman and prescribing Optometrist Nick Rumney.
“In addition to detecting or monitoring Macular disease, it allows us to check on the condition of the eye and the retina, as well as spotting or monitoring any other clinical conditions.”
In addition to raising awareness of Macular disease, Macular Week is also part of a fundraising campaign to fund research into the condition.
You can find out more here.