Glaucoma research given $9.46 million boost

The funding was announced by the Minister for Aged Care and Indigenous Health, Mr Ken Wyatt, who said it would help tackle the world’s leading cause of irreversible blindness.“The potential to personalise treatment through genetics is exciting because glaucoma already affects approximately 300,000 Australians, with up to 80 million predicted to suffer from the disease worldwide by 2020,” Wyatt said.{{quote-a:r-w:400-I:2-Q:“Testing is vital and, although there is no cure, with treatment glaucoma can be controlled and further loss of sight either prevented or slowed.”-WHO:Ken Wyatt, Minister for Aged Care and Indigenous Health}}“It’s long been known that a family history of glaucoma means increased risk but there are no symptoms or warning signs in the early stages. Testing is vital and, although there is no cure, with treatment glaucoma can be controlled and further loss of sight either prevented or slowed.”Outgoing CEO of Glaucoma Australia Mr Geoff Pollard said the funding would lead to earlier diagnoses, less vision loss and better outcomes for patients.“The TARRGET Pilot Study, recently concluded by Professor Jamie Craig and colleagues, in partnership with Glaucoma Australia and the South Australian State Government, has donstrated once again that family history is a powerful contributor to glaucoma risk, as over 50% of the direct relatives of people with advanced glaucoma in that study either had glaucoma thselves or are glaucoma suspects,” he said.According to the government, glaucoma has an annual economic cost of more than $144 million, and CEO of Vision 2020 Australia Ms Carla Northam said the grant would be money well spent.“Investing in this vital area of research will bring us closer to finding a cure which would counter the economic and social cost of avoidable blindness. Measures to improve or restore sight are among the most cost effective of all healthcare interventions, returning $4 for every $1 invested,” she said.“We know that around 90% of all blindness and vision impairment in Australia is avoidable or treatable. It makes good sense for the government to invest in eye health and vision care research and clinical trials to ensure no Australian suffers blindness or vision loss if it can be prevented.”The NHMRC has provided $29.8 million to glaucoma research since 2007.