Macular Degeneration Research

Thanks to your generous donations, NERC has been able to fund vital research to help find new and better treatments for macular degeneration - some examples of these research projects are below.

With your help, we can do even more, and we can get results faster. Together, we can beat sight loss forever – please make a donation today.

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A new therapeutic strategy for age-related macular degeneration

Dr Xinhua Shu at Glasgow Caledonian University is researching a new therapeutic strategy for age-related macular degeneration Read more

Environmental triggers for AMD development

Prof Glen Jeffery at University College London is investigating the role of immunity in preventing age-related macular degeneration. Read more

Investigating genetic changes in dry age-related macular degeneration

Dr Louise Porter - University of Liverpool is investigating the epigenetic changes associated with dry age-related macular degeneration Read more

The role inflammation plays in age-related macular degeneration

Dr Mei Chen at Queen’s University Belfast is investigating the role of SIGIRR in geographic atrophy type of age-related macular degeneration. A PhD project jointly funded by National Eye Research Centre and Fight for Sight. Read more

Latest

Myopia

Myopia, or short-sightedness, causes your vision in the distance to be blurry, but your vision up close remains clear. About half of the UK population are now short-sighted, and it is becoming increasingly common throughout the world.

Corneal transplant

A cornea transplant replaces diseased corneal tissue with a disc of healthy tissue from a donor. There are different types of corneal transplant, the procedure chosen depends on which part of the cornea is damaged or how much of the cornea needs replacing.

Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy

Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON) is an inherited form of vision loss, characterised by rapid, painless vision loss in both eyes. It usually occurs in a person’s teens or twenties, but, in rare cases, it may appear in early childhood or later in adulthood.

Fuchs Dystrophy

Fuchs Dystrophy causes gradual loss of vision and is a common, age-related disease, that is usually inherited. It is characterised by corneal endothelial cell death, leading to swelling of the cornea. It is estimated to affect more than 4% of people over 40 years of age.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is the most common cause of sight loss amongst those of working age. Pressure is raised in the eye which damages the optic nerve and increasingly causes sight loss. New treatments, including improved eye drops and surgical techniques to reduce this pressure in the eye are being researched.

Age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a painless eye condition that leads to the gradual loss of central vision. Around 600,000 people in the UK currently have sight loss caused by AMD and around 70,000 new cases are diagnosed every year.

Cataracts

Cataracts occur when changes in the lens of the eye cause it to become less transparent. This results in cloudy or misty vision. Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness globally but can be easily treated.

Uveitis

Uveitis is a leading cause of visual impairment in people of working age in the UK. It is an inflammation of the middle layer of the eye, called the uvea or uveal tract.

Dry Eye Syndrome

Dry eye syndrome, or dry eye disease, is a common condition that occurs when the eyes don't make enough tears, or the tears evaporate too quickly. This leads to the eyes drying out and becoming red, swollen and irritated. Dry eye syndrome is also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca.

Corneal Dystrophy

Corneal dystrophy is a collective term that refers to several conditions that cause damage to the cornea. The cornea is the clear tissue at the front of the eye that lets in light and helps focus it on the retina so that we can see.

Retinitis pigmentosa

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the name given to a group of inherited conditions of the retina that all lead to a gradual progressive reduction in vision.

Amblyopia

A lazy eye, also known as amblyopia, is a childhood condition that occurs when the vision in one eye does not develop properly.

Research Grants Funding

What we do

National Eye Research Centre is a leading eye research charity that funds eye research teams across the UK to find the causes of eye disease to develop new prevention methods and more effective treatments. We fund research for eye diseases in both adults and children.