Who benefits from our work

The work of the Department of Ophthalmology has a wide impact on many blinding diseases affecting all age groups.

The Young

Inflammation in the eye (Uveitis) is a major cause of blindness affecting children and young adults and the Department of Opthalmology at the University of Aberdeen is world renowned for its research into this disease as well as other diseases causing childhood blindness. With the help of funds raised by Saving Sight in Grampian new treatments have been developed to cure this condition.

The Elderly

Blindness is much more common as we get older of course and many patients lose sight because of disease of the retina. Macular degeneration is a strong focus of the Department which is at the forefront of delivery of new treatments for age related macular degeneration such as photodynamic therapy and monoclonal antibody treatments.

We do not aim solely to investigate and treat blindness in the Grampian Region or even in Scotland and the wider UK but also worldwide.

Worldwide

Many diseases in the world are curable even now but treatments are not available. The commonest cause of blindness worldwide is cataract. Surgery is the main treatment but many patients develop 'after cataract' causing them to lose their vision once more. A new model to study this problem is one of the novel research tools which the Department in Aberdeen has developed.

In fact anyone at risk of vision loss is likely to benefit from our work.