KEEP SIGHT OF YOUR EYE HEALTH
AROUND 224,000 people in Ireland live with vision impairment or blindness. Retina 2018 is a day to help those affected by sight loss and their families, organised by Fighting Blindness, Ireland’s leading charity pioneering world-leading research into treatments and cures for sight loss. The event, supported by Novartis, will be held on Saturday October 6 at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin, ahead of World Sight Day on October 11. On the day, hundreds of people with a wide range of vision impairments will come together from all over the country to connect with others who have been through similar experiences, and to hear of the latest research, clinical trials and treatment developments underway.
The event will feature speakers on a range of topics, including clinical trials, genetic testing and emerging therapies.
There will also be a presentation on smart homes and how voice control technology is revolutionising life in the home for people with sight loss.
Special guest at the event will be sculptor Victoria Claire, who was diagnosed with the rare degenerative eye condition retinitis pigmentosa (RP) at the age of 19. Victoria will share her experience of coming to terms with losing her vision and how she feels that the blind community are excluded from mainstream exhibitions by not being allowed to touch works of art, whereas she feels that sculpture needs to be felt — something that she actively encourages.
The afternoon sees a number of condition-specific breakout sessions, where people can attend seminars to get updates specific to their own situation — these include retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration and retinal detachment, as well as various other eye conditions.
David Keegan, a consultant vitreo-retinal surgeon, says Retina 2018 offers an opportunity for patients to challenge clinicians and researchers to do better.
‘The Retina Public Engagement Day has grown into a significant event in Irish ophthalmology,’ he says. ‘It provides a unique opportunity for Irish patients, researchers and clinicians to engage with world leaders in clinical and basic science retinal research.’
Kevin Whelan, CEO of Fighting Blindness, is encouraging people to sign up and attend. ‘This event has become one of the highlights of the Fighting Blindness calendar. If you are a person who has been diagnosed with a sight loss condition, or indeed a family member of someone in that situation, this is a golden opportunity to hear first-hand from scientists and clinicians as to the exciting developments and innovations coming down the tracks.’
The event is free for Fighting Blindness members but €10 for others who wish to attend. Call 01 6789 004 or visit
to register.