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Studies in Ireland supported by the eyesight charity Fighting Blindness has revealed that a staggering seven per cent of over fifties are suffering from the condition age related macular degeneration which presents as pain free until sufferers eventually lose their central vision. As this begins, the patient will begin to lose the ability to read as vision gets more blurry and colours will lose pigmentation and appear dull. In addition they will find it difficult to recognize faces. A clinical assessment of just over five thousand research subjects all aged over fifty were investigated.
A Macular Pigment Research Group investigator reported that the high figures were surprising.. The condition in Ireland alone, accounts for a third of the total cost of vision loss in the Republic.
Those affected by "dry" Age Related Macular Degeneration will experience a longer period of time for the standard of sight to deteriorate and they will not go blind completely as outer vision remains unaffected by the condition.