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Medical breakthrough could save sight of thousands of South West macular degeneration sufferers | |
| Issued: 12/05/2008 On behalf of: Duchy Hospital |  |
The operation potentially reverses the severe visual loss of dry macular degeneration, a previously untreatable disease.
The condition is estimated to affect around one in 50 people over the age of 50, equating to more than 4,000 people in Cornwall and 6,000 in Devon.
A ground-breaking operation, developed in Italy, has now been carried out on Redruth woman at Truro’s Duchy Hospital.
While a cure has been available for the wet form of the condition, dry macular degeneration sufferers have previously been left without any hope of regaining their sight.
Now, Ophthalmic Surgeon Nick Wilson-Holt is one of a handful of consultants in the UK pioneering the new procedure, known as IOL-VIP.
The first patient in the South West to benefit from the treatment was 75 year-old Jean Opie from Redruth.
She said: “Only people who’ve lost their sight can really understand how frightening it can be, especially when you’ve been told there’s no cure. It sounds dramatic, but this new procedure has changed my life. I can drive again, see my friends and take part in the community activities I’ve always loved.”
Mrs Opie, who has been registered as partially sighted, first noticed blurred vision in her right eye in 2004, and following the diagnosis of macular degeneration, the vision in her left eye began to deteriorate. She began scouring the media, internet and joined support groups in the search for a medical breakthrough which could save her sight.
That breakthrough came with the news that surgeons in Milan had developed a procedure to insert two lenses in the eye using a healthy part of the retina to restore sight.
Some of Jean’s family suggested she flew to Italy for the operation until she heard that Mr Wilson-Holt, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Duchy Hospital had already trained in the procedure.
Mr Wilson-Holt commented: “The operation effectively creates a telescope in the eye to focus light on unaffected parts of the retina. While it has been used successfully on hundreds of patients in Italy, this is the first time it has been performed in the South West and offers hope for many people in the region who think they have an incurable disease.”
The disease’s prevalence and seriousness tends to increase with age. The Royal National Institute of Blind People estimates that it affects one in three people over the age of 75.
The IOL-VIP operation will generally be carried out on patients with moderate to severe dry macular degeneration. It lasts around 40 minutes and is usually carried out on the eye with the better vision.
Jean Opie continued: “This operation has been almost miraculous and my sight has carried on improving. I can’t thank Mr Wilson-Holt enough.”
Although many dry macular degeneration sufferers can benefit from the procedure, it is not suitable for all patients.
The operation is not currently available on the National Health Service.
More information on the new treatment is available from www.duchyhospital.co.uk, by calling Mr Wilson-Holt’s secretary on 01872 226103 or Duchy Hospital’s enquiry line on 0800 917 0022.
ENDS
For further media information, high resolution images or requests for interviews with Jean Opie or Nick Wilson-Holt please call Tim Bowcock at Black Cat Public Relations on 084500 9 10 23.
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