Helping people find their lives again - RNIB

A fantastic victory
There are 26,000 new cases of wet AMD in the UK each year.
The condition can lead to blindness in as little as three months
if left untreated. In August 2008 NICE published final guidance
making a new sight-saving anti-VEGF treatment for wet AMD
available on the NHS. This marked a fantastic victory for people
losing their sight and for RNIB, which together with many
partners and supporters, led a two-and-a-half year battle to
make these sight-saving treatments available on the NHS. We
made sure to shout about it 200 times in the press, television
and radio to raise public support for this issue.
Work now continues to ensure that PCTs fully implement the
guidance. It has been inspiring to witness so many supporters
come together to fight this injustice. For example, our campaign
inspired over 13,000 members and supporters to voice their
outrage at the draft guidance from NICE – the biggest response
NICE had ever seen – and resulted in new, better guidance
offering the treatment to more people. Together, we and the
Macular Disease Society (MDS) have supported almost 1,000
patients in their battles against PCTs, and we backed three
pensioners in landmark High Court action, who were being
denied treatment. NICE's final guidance at last brought an end
to the postcode lottery. RNIB, MDS and the UK Vision Strategy
will provide further support to fully implement sight-saving
treatments across the UK beyond 2009.
At the same time, £10million of extra funding was announced in
Wales to provide sight saving drugs for patients with wet AMD.
This fantastic development provides funding in 2009/10 to
ensure the timely provision of drugs for patients with wet AMD.
There will be nine treatment centres across Wales – a great step
forward for people at risk of losing their sight.
In Northern Ireland we are delighted that anyone diagnosed
with a serious sight problem is now immediately put in contact
with RNIB and can speak one-to-one with an Eye Clinic Liaison
Officer.
We also continued to get the message across to people over 60
that a sight test is an eye health check and not just about new
glasses. With partners, Birmingham Focus and Open Sight in
Hampshire we launched the Eyes Right pilot in 2009 aiming to
encourage more eye tests and to ensure that people were
receiving all the benefits they are entitled to. Instead of simply
asking people to see an optician, we are offering on-the-spot
screening within the community at bingo halls, day care centres
and church socials.
Our work in 2008/09 11