Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition that affects millions of Canadians, is the leading cause of visual loss and blindness in those over the age of 50 and those who suffer from this condition are at higher risk of depression, hip fracture and nursing home admission.

A panel consisting of world-renowned medical researchers and eye surgeons from Queen’s University’s Department of Ophthalmology plan to discuss a variety of topics pertaining to AMD ranging from the importance of nutrition for preventing the disease to new drugs that are being developed to treat this condition.

“While AMD is a difficult condition to have, things have certainly changed so much in the past decade,” says Sanjay Sharma (Ophthalmology), a leading AMD researcher. “Where blindness was once inevitable, I now tell my patients that they have a 50 per cent chance of regaining significant vision. Our researcher team is actively involved in studying the safety of eye injections which is now the cornerstone of treatment for macular degeneration.”

The presentation is especially timely considering the significant investment that Hotel Dieu is making in developing its new AMD Treatment Facility, located within the Ophthalmology clinic at Hotel Dieu, where the community can be assessed and treated in a world-class setting.

“We are delighted to soon open the doors to the new AMD facility,” says Martin ten Hove (Ophthalmology). “Our doctors are some of the most experienced in the country in treating AMD and our research team is studying ways in which eye procedures can be as safe as possible. The new facility will allow us to take what we do to the next level.”

The panel event is part of a national series of events known as Cafés Scientifiques, informal discussions held across Canada that bring together experts and community members.  They are sponsored by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), whose mission is to create new scientific knowledge and turn that into improved health, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian healthcare system.

The Kingston event runs June 19 at the University Club, 168 Stuart Street. The 7:30 pm session is free and open to the public.