Vision-ary research happening across Wales

Currently more than two million people in the UK are living with sight loss severe enough to have a significant impact on their daily lives, and the number of people living with sight loss is set to double by 2050.

A recent review of visual impairment funding found that vision is the sense most people fear losing the most, with more than three quarters of people would rather lose a limb than their sight.

Research into the cause, symptoms and treatment of sight loss is crucial to improve the lives of people living with blindness and visual impairments.

Since 2020, Health and Care Research Wales has funded more than £700,000 of research projects into vision and sight loss:

Funded research projects:

The use of optometrist in primary care to monitor and manage chronic sight-threatening eye disease.

Research lead: Professor Barbara Ryan, Cardiff University

Assessing the referral pathway from Diabetic Eye Screening Wales for people with sight-threatening diabetic eye disease to see if opticians can reduce the pressure on eye clinics in hospitals. .

Research lead: Professor Eirini Skiadaresi, Swansea University

The impact of stopping screening for diabetic eye disease (diabetic retinopathy) due to the Covid-19 pandemic across Wales.

Research lead: Dr Rebecca Thomas, Swansea University

Investigating the links between patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the part of the eye which processes central vision, and those with complications as a result of diabetes and inflammation which causes sight loss.

Research lead: Professor Eirini Skiadaresi, Swansea University

Health and Care Research Wales has also partnered with Fight for Sight to fund research here in Wales into vision and sight loss: