Age-Related Macular Degeneration is the number one cause of permanent vision loss in people over the age of fifty.
 The macular is located in the centre of the retina, which is the light sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. The retina's function is to convert light into electrical signals for the brain. It is the macular area of the retina that is responsible for detailed vision and colour perception.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) is a group of diseases characterised by the gradual breakdown of the macula (the central portion of the eye). This is responsible for central detailed vision essential for reading, driving and recognising faces. The risk of developing macular degeneration increases with age. The disease most often affects people in their sixties and seventies. Macular degeneration is the most common cause of vision loss in individuals over the age of fifty.
The aim of our website is to increase the public awareness of this devestating disease and bring to your attention the potential measures that can now be employed to identify those at risk. Whilst there is no recognised "cure" for ARMD, recently-developed state of the art technology now allows an optometrist to identify potential sufferers at an early age.
As the UK population ages, ARMD is expected to become more prevalent creating a heavy financial burden on healthcare services. Until recently there was no screening equipment available that could easily identify potential future ARMD sufferers, but a breakthrough has now been achieved in a new low-cost macular pigment screening instrument.
The Tinsley MPOD is the world's first fully portable macular pigment screener. It is a remarkably simple to use device that allows optometrists to detect low levels of macular pigment, which may lead to potential vision loss caused by ARMD.
The instrument was developed by the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Manchester, in partnership with leading British manufacturer Tinsley Medical Instruments. It is supplied to eyecare professionals throughout the UK and Eire exclusively by Buchmann UK, who are a highly respected ophthalmic equipment supplier.
The Tinsley MPOD is now available in a rapidly increasing number of opticians throughout the UK and Eire and the simple non-invasive test takes an clinician just a few minutes to perform. For those patients identified as being "at risk" your optometrist will advise on various lifestyle factors that may reduce the risk of developing ARMD, including smoking, diet, general health and UV protection. Your optometrist may also suggest nutritional supplements, in particular lutein and zeaxanthin, which are two carotenoids found exclusively at the macular region of the eye.
When taking supplements your optician may also recommend regular macular pigment screening, say every six months, to monitor the progress of the supplementation whilst increasing the level of the all-important macular pigment.
For more information please consult your eyecare professional, who is qualified to advise on the risk factors associated with ARMD. Also you can use our online search facility to find a MPOD Screening Centre near you.
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