The Macular Society is a UK charity that offers support to anyone affected by central vision loss. Many of the charity's members have age-related macular degeneration (AMD), but its services are open to people with various retinal conditions, including myopic macular degeneration,

diabetic retinopathy Diabetic retinopathy (also known as diabetic eye disease), is a medical condition in which damage occurs to the retina due to diabetes mellitus. It is a leading cause of blindness in developed countries. Diabetic retinopathy affects up to 80 perc ...

, and inherited retinal dystrophies like

Stargardt disease Stargardt disease is the most common inherited single-gene retinal disease. In terms of the first description of the disease, it follows an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern, which has been later linked to bi-allelic ABCA4 gene variants (S ...

Best disease Vitelliform macular dystrophy is an irregular autosomal dominant eye disorder which can cause progressive vision loss. This disorder affects the retina, specifically cells in a small area near the center of the retina called the macula. The macu ...

, and Sorsby fundus dystrophy. The society coordinates activities across the UK from its headquarters in Andover, Hampshire. Its primary goal is to combat macular disease by funding research, providing a range of support services, and raising awareness of eye health.

Services

To combat isolation, loneliness and mental ill-health among people with sight loss, the society provides several free services. These include: * More than 400 local support groups * Advice and Information Service * Telephone counselling * Skills training to help people remain independent * Patient information in large-print, audio or electronic format.

History

* The Macular Society was set up in 1987 by founder Elizabeth Thomas, who was affected by

macular degeneration Macular degeneration, also known as age-related macular degeneration (AMD or ARMD), is a medical condition which may result in blurred or no vision in the center of the visual field. Early on there are often no symptoms. Over time, however, som ...

. * At the start of 2013 the Society dropped the word disease from its name and updated its visual identity. * Evidence from Macular Society members was instrumental in the tribunal which resulted in eye surgeon Bobby Qureshi being struck off the medical register. The General Medical Council heard that he had deliberately misled patients about the risks and benefits of surgery to implant artificial lenses into their eyes. * Each year the Society recognises excellence in patient care and thanks its most dedicated volunteers with a series of awards. * In 2020, the Macular Society was named the Association of Optometrists' Charity of the Year.

Patrons

Gemma Craven Rita Gemma Craven (''née'' Gabriel; born 1 June 1950) is an Irish actress. She is best known for her role as Joan Parker, the frigid wife of Arthur (Bob Hoskins), in the BBC TV drama '' Pennies From Heaven'' (1978). Biography Craven's family ...

* Henry Blofeld OBE * Gwyn Dickinson MBE * Patricia Greene *

Vince Hill Vincent Hill (born 16 April 1934) is an English traditional pop music singer and songwriter who is best known for his recording of the Rodgers and Hammerstein show tune "Edelweiss" (1967), which reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart (staying o ...

* Maggie Norden * Zac Shaw Former patrons include

Peter Sallis Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...

Denis Norden Denis Mostyn Norden (6 February 1922 – 19 September 2018) was an English comedy writer and television presenter. After an early career working in cinemas, he began scriptwriting during the Second World War. From 1948 to 1959, he co-wrote the ...

and

Eric Sykes Eric Sykes (4 May 1923 – 4 July 2012) was an English radio, stage, television and film writer, comedian, actor, and director whose performing career spanned more than 50 years. He frequently wrote for and performed with many other leading com ...

References

Health charities in the United Kingdom {{UK-charity-stub