A woman from Cork has become the first visually impaired athlete to complete the World Marathon Challenge – seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. Sinead Kane was born with just 5% vision. She began the gruelling challenge on January 23 by running a marathon in Antarctica. She described this race as the ‘toughest’
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Blindness and other vision problems affect over 220,000 Irish people and cost the country in excess of €2 billion every year, yet 50% of visual impairment can be corrected if diagnosed and treated properly, eye experts have said. This week is Healthy Eyes Awareness Week and according to the Association of Optometrists Ireland (AOI) and
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A new study on sports concussion – the first of its kind in the world – has been launched by the Institute of Technology Carlow (ITC). The pioneering pilot study will use the retina of the eye as a potential assessment tool in the diagnosis of concussion. The two-year project will involve 200 contact sport
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The use of special effects contact lenses at Halloween should be avoided as these products can cause serious eye damage, eye experts have warned. According to the Association of Optometrists Ireland (AOI), there has been a ‘worrying growth’ in the use of decorative or special effects contact lenses, which are for cosmetic purposes only. The
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Half of Irish adults are unaware of the eye condition, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), even though it is the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 50 in this country. According to research commissioned as part of a new awareness campaign, ‘Never Miss the Wonder’, 50% of Irish adults are unaware of
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Irish and UK scientists have discovered that a drug that was originally developed to treat cardiovascular disease, could reduce diabetes-related blindness. An estimated 422 million people worldwide have diabetes and a common complication of the disease is vision loss. Diabetic macular oedema is one of the most common causes of blindness in the western world
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Optometrists have expressed their disappointment at a decision by the HSE to end routine eye screening of children in fifth and sixth class. According to the Association of Optometrists (AOI), primary school principals have received letters from the HSE advising them that primary school-exit eye screening is to be discontinued with immediate effect. No alternative
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Children who require eye care in the public system have to wait up to five years to be seen depending on where they live, the Association of Optometrists Ireland (AOI) has said. It is calling on the next Government to tackle these ‘unacceptable delays’. In a submission to all newly-elected TDs this week, the AOI
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People are being urged to have their eyes tested as part of their New Year resolutions. A recent survey of over 1,000 adults in Ireland found that more than half had not had an eye exam carried out in the last two years, which is the recommended maximum interval that should be left between exams.
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The number of children becoming shorted-sighted is on the rise, however this risk can be reduced if young people stop looking at various screens and spend more time outdoors, the Association of Optometrists Ireland (AOI) has said. According to AOI optometric advisor, Lynda McGivney-Nolan, a number of recent international studies have shown a big rise
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Thousands of people over the age of 50 are risking their sight by failing to have their eyes checked on a regular basis, experts have warned. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 50. It affects central vision, making it blurry. Central vision is necessary for
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The world’s first bionic eye implant has been carried out on an 80-year-old man in the UK. Ray Flynn, who underwent a four-hour operation at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, has age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD affects central vision, making it blurry. Central vision is necessary for everyday activities such as reading, driving and watching
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Over 70,000 people with diabetes have had their eyes screened as part of Diabetic Retina Screen (the National Diabetic Retinal Screening Programme), since it began in 2013. The aim of this programme is to prevent vision problems and blindness due to the eye disease, diabetic retinopathy, which is a common complication of diabetes. Speaking at
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