Macular Week

Published at 21 June, 2021.

Macular Week runs from 21st to 27th June. This week is a chance to show the impact of macular disease and highlight why funding research to find a cure is so vital.

The macula is part of the retina at the back of the eye. It is only about 5 mm across but is responsible for our central vision, most of our colour vision and the fine detail of what we see. The macula has a very high concentration of photoreceptor cells, these are the cells that detect light. They send signals to the brain, which interprets them as images. The rest of the retina processes our peripheral or side vision. 

Nearly 1.5m people in the UK have macular disease. It affects people of all ages. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common condition, generally affecting people over the age of 55.

AMD is the biggest cause of sight loss in the UK, affecting more than 600,000 people.

Research shows that smoking increases the risk of developing AMD. Current smokers are up to four times more likely to have AMD than people who have never smoked. Smokers are more likely to develop AMD up to 10 years earlier than those who have never smoked. Second hand smoke is also likely to increase the risk of AMD.

A great way to get involved and step out to beat Macular Disease, is to take part in a step challenge that suits you. The ‘Step Around the World (from home)’ challenge is really simple to do. ‘ Find out more and pick where you want to ‘travel’ to on Macular Society’s website: https://www.macularsociety.org/get-involved/fundraising/do-your-own/step-around-world/

There are many ways we can help:

Quit online - https://yorkshiresmokefree.nhs.uk/pages/quit-online

Our online quit tool will allow you to create your own personal profile and will support you on a daily basis through your quit journey.

Telephone support - our advisors are on hand to answer any questions or provide additional support as you need it. You can call 0800 612 0011 (free from landlines) or 0330 660 1166.

Visit our frequently asked questions section to find out more: https://yorkshiresmokefree.nhs.uk/frequently-asked-questions