Vision Loss
Many Americans suffer from vision impairment. As we age, vision loss becomes more of an issue. While some eye diseases cannot be prevented, there are others that you have more control over. The Alliance has many helpful resources available on age-related macular degeneration. You can find more information on other diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma by visiting the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research’s website.Visit our VISION HEALTH RESOURCE GUIDE
Macular Degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, causes vision loss in the central field of vision and is one of the leading causes of lost independence for people over the age of 60.
The Alliance has developed a number of resources for patients that answer many of the commonly asked questions about AMD; and for health care professionals, that offer information on prevention, detection, and treatment.
Visit the AMD Health Corner to learn more about AMD.
Related Publications
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PodcastCER Interview with Dr. James Goodwin (UK)
January 24, 2012
Related topics: Aging Research Drug Development Drug Safety Health Medical Innovation Policy Research Vision LossJames Goodwin, PhD, is the Head of Research in Age UK, the new organization which resulted from the merger of Age Concern England and Help the Aged. The mission of Age UK is to improve the lives of older people.
He holds a visiting professorship at Loughborough University in the Department of Human Sciences. He is a member of the editorial board of the journal ‘Quality in Aging’ in the UK. He sits on numerous expert bodies, including the UN Research Agenda for Aging panel, the UN Digital Health Group, a WHO Advisory Group, scientific advisory panels of the research councils and is Chair of the Halcyon Knowledge Transfer Steering Committee at UCL. He is a member of a Ministerial Advisory Group on Dementia Research for the UK Government.
Professor Goodwin graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Keele University, UK. After graduation he read for a Master’s in Human Physiology at Loughborough University and then for a PhD in climatic physiology at the Postgraduate Medical School, University of Exeter. His research area was the effects of temperature variations on the autonomic cardiovascular responses of older people, an area highly relevant to the issue of climate change and older people’s health. His other area of expertise is knowledge transfer, sitting on the advisory Board of KT-EQUAL, as a panel member of the LLHW Program and as an adviser to Imperial College on their age-related research in the Faculty of Engineering.
"It is my personal opinion that the decisions I see made by NICE, would be met with stupefaction by people in the United States."
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PodcastCER Interview with Barbara McLaughlan
January 6, 2012
Related topics: Aging Research Drug Development Drug Safety Medical Innovation Policy Research Vision LossBarbara McLaughlan is the Policy & Campaigns Manager at the Royal National Institute of Blind People(RNIB). At RNIB, McLaughlan has played a major role in the successful campaign to ensure that patients with wet age-related macular degeneration are given treatment with new anti-VEGF treatments on the NHS. Access to treatment remains a major focus of her work as well as running several eye health promotion projects. Ms. McLaughlan is also the Chair of Patients involved in NICE (PIN), an independent group made up of patient and voluntary organizations that work closely with NICE.
"From a patient’s perspective, if I were the patient I would always say ‘I want the licensed treatment because that’s gone through all the trials and I can be absolutely sure about what I’m getting, plus there is monitoring of outcomes and possible adverse events following licensing and use in clinical practice.”
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PodcastCER Interview with Alexander Ommaya
January 5, 2012
Related topics: Aging Research Drug Development Drug Safety Medical Innovation Policy Research Vision LossAlexander Ommaya, DSc, MA is Director of Translational Research at the Department of Veterans Affairs. In this role he is responsible for managing development of new research activities focusing on health systems improvements, genomic medicine, text analysis of the VA electronic health record, comparative effectiveness research, traumatic brain injury, and Post Traumatic Stress disorder. Previously he was Director of the Institute of Medicine’s Drug Forum and Clinical Research Roundtable. These multi stakeholder groups addressed science policy issues concerning the research enterprise and established public / private collaborative research activities.
At Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida he directed Business Knowledge Management where his department evaluated and developed improvements for pharmacy, disease, and utilization management programs. Dr. Ommaya has worked for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality as a Senior Advisor for the Office of the Administrator; Walter Reed Army Medical Center as a Senior Analyst for the Defense and Veteran’s Brain Injury Program; the U.S. Senate as a Health Policy Fellow; and the National Institutes of Mental Health. His previous research focused on neuroplasticity and cortical reorganization; treatment of malignant Glioma; rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury; and health care quality and costs of care. Dr. Ommaya is a member of the Veterans Affairs Technology Assessment Advisory Group and previously the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee. Dr. Ommaya received his Doctoral degree in Health Policy and Management from Johns Hopkins University; a Master’s degree in Biopsychology from Mount Holyoke College; and his undergraduate degree in Philosophy from Vassar College.
“It’s always difficult to change existing practice patterns, and even when the data is published in high-profile scientific journals like the New England Journal, it doesn’t by itself necessarily change practice.”
The discussion presented represents the views of Alexander Ommaya, D.Sc., MA, and does not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States government. No statement should be construed as an official position of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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