Eye specialist fears ‘daunting’ challenge of age-related blindness

CLOSE to 240 people are registered as blind in Ireland every year as a result of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the main cause of sight loss in people over the age of 50.

After age and family history, smoking is the main risk factor. The disease is becoming more prevalent and now accounts for almost half of all referrals to the National Council for the Blind in Ireland.

Eye disease specialist, Dr Niamh Collins, has revealed that more than 1,200 people with AMD were newly registered as blind in the past five years.