18 March 2005
New Regional Group Fights Blindness
Blindness organisations across the Asia Pacific have launched an organisation to fight the No 1 cause of blindness in
developed countries; Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD).
The inaugural meeting of the AMD International Asia Pacific Regional Council today called for united actions by health
professionals and government to manage “the coming AMD epidemic.”
“The World Health Organisation recently elevated AMD to the third leading cause of blindness globally and the leading
cause of blindness in developed countries like New Zealand. As populations age, we will experience an epidemic of low
vision and blindness caused by AMD,” said Chris Inglis, Divisional Manager, Blindness Awareness and Prevention, Royal
New Zealand Foundation of the Blind (RNZFB).
The inaugural meeting of the new organisation in Melbourne was attended by RNZFB, the Macular Degeneration Foundation
Australia, and retina associations and blind societies from Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong.
Macular Degeneration hits people as they age. It damages the retina's macula, which is critical to central vision.
“It is estimated that 1 in 20 New Zealanders over age 50, and 1 in 5 over age 75, have AMD. As Baby Boomers age, this
number will skyrocket,” said Ms Inglis. “Early detection is crucial, as any vision lost to AMD can never be regained.”
ENDS