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 this condition, despite the fact that 7,000 new cases are diagnosed every year and almost 100,000 people are currently living with it.

AMD affects central vision, making it blurry. Central vision is necessary for everyday activities such as reading, driving, recognising faces and watching television.

"If you are over 50, it is important to get your eyes checked regularly, particularly if there is a family history of eye disease or if you notice any change in your vision. AMD is a manageable and treatable eye disease, with a greatly improved outcome for patients as a result of earlier diagnosis and new treatments.

"As well as regular eye checks, there is a lot people can do to protect their eye health and help to slow the progression or onset of AMD, like giving up smoking, eating a healthy diet rich in leafy greens and exercising regularly," explained consultant eye surgeon, Dr Mark Cahill.

The ‘Never Miss the Wonder' campaign aims to improve people's knowledge and understanding of AMD, so that it can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible. It was launched as part of AMD Awareness Week, which is running from September 19-25.

This is the 9th annual awareness week and it is run by the national sight loss organisation, the NCBI, along with Fighting Blindness, the Irish College of Ophthalmologists, the Association of Optometrists Ireland and Novartis Ireland.

"We know that AMD can have a severe impact on people's lives but we also know that awareness and early diagnosis allows people to protect their vision as much as possible. This awareness week aims to increase understanding of AMD, highlight the symptoms, and encourage anyone affected to speak to their eye specialist," commented Fightling Blindness CEO, Kevin Whelan.

For more information on AMD, click here