Irish people are more genetically predisposed to Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of registered blindness in Ireland, according to research released as part of this year's AMD Awareness Week, which runs until Sunday.

The aim of AMD Awareness Week is to increase public awareness on how to spot the symptoms of AMD and to highlight the importance of early diagnosis.

The new Irish research, directed by Drs Marian Humphries of TCD and Mark Cahill of the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital looked at over 200 patients with AMD, whose blood samples were compared with normal volunteers for the presence of AMD risk factors.

The research found that AMD genetic risk factors were present in the Irish population at high levels, similar to other heavily affected areas such as mainland Europe and the US.

Dr Cahill said many people could possess the genes and never develop the disease, which means that genetic screening is not recommended. However, early detection is essential to maximise effectiveness of treatment options.

He stressed that while lifestyle changes such as ensuring a balanced diet and blood pressure control can help prevent AMD progression, the new research shows that smoking remains the primary risk factor. In fact, smokers were four times more likely to develop the condition.

AMD is believed to affect one in ten people over the age of 50.

The test to detect the signs of AMD can be carried out by local opticians/optometrists and eye doctors. It normally takes place as part of a routine eye examination. It is simple, quick, non-invasive and gives an immediate result.

Throughout AMD Awareness Week, free testing is available at a range of participating opticians nationwide and a mobile testing unit will visit venues in Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford. See www.amd.ie for details.

AMD awareness week is supported by NCBI, Fighting Blindness, the Irish College of Ophthalmologists (ICO) and the Association of Optometrists Ireland (AOI), in association with Novartis,