PATIENTS suffering from the most common form of blindness in the UK are now being seen in a brand new £1.2m clinic at Kendal’s Westmorland General Hospital.

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) causes severe visual loss. Two main forms of AMD - wet and dry - occur.

There is no known cure for the dry form of AMD. Ninety per cent of patients with the wet form suffer severe visual loss, with rapidly progressive cases deteriorating from normal to legal blindmess within three to six months.

Patients with Wet AMD used to have to travel to Blackpool, Liverpool or Manchester but can now receive their treatment in Kendal. The treatment, called Lucentis treatment, involves a course of monthly injections into the affected eye.

Simon Morgan, Consultant Ophthalmologist, said: “We are delighted that patients will now be able receive prompt treatment locally instead of having to travel great distances. If Wet AMD isn’t treated quickly, patients can experience a rapid decline in their vision and in some extreme cases, can lose all sight in a matter of weeks.

“Studies show that Lucentis treatment can stop vision deterioration and even improve vision in some patients. Offering this closer to people’s homes enables us to improve the care we provide across the Bay and hopefully take some of the strain off patients dealing with the disease.”

Wet AMD affects approximately 250,000 people in the UK. Current estimates by NICE and the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) indicates that there may be 26,000 new cases annually.

During the first year, we expect that the new service will treat approximately 100 new patients and we expect this number to rise to around 150 new patients in 2012/13.

Patrick McGahon, Director of Service and Commercial Development, said: “It is essential for us that we try to ensure our patients receive the most effective treatment in their local hospitals wherever possible. The introduction of this service not only improves the patient experience but also further strengthens our commitment to developing new and important services at WGH.”