Guernsey trust donates £135,000 to vision loss research

An anonymous Guernsey organisation has donated £135,000 to doctors at the University of Southampton, who hope to cure multiple causes of blindness.

The University of Southampton is thanking Guernsey residents for their continued support for vision research, following a large donation from an anonymous Bailiwick organisation.

The centre says the £135,000 will go towards cutting-edge research.

Albinism research with Dr Ellie Keeling

Albinism is an inherited disorder that limits melanin production, which results in little or no colour to skin, eyes or hair.

The condition also affects eyesight, with the majority of children born with albinism registered as sight impaired or blind.

Dr Ellie Keeling is testing drugs, already licenced to treat other diseases, on cells that have been engineered to have the same genetic mutations seen in children with albinism.

She is optimistic about the findings so far.

"The work we have done to date is extremely promising, and we’ve found some approved drugs that could influence how the eyes develop with albinism.

"My postdoctoral research is helping move this research forward to a place where we could begin a clinical trial.

"Albinism is more common than people think, especially in Africa, and people with albinism still suffer stigma, prejudice and even violence fuelled by superstitious folk law and myth.

"Accordingly, finding treatments is described as a ‘global health emergency’ by the WHO.

"Our research could transform the lives of children with albinism by permitting life-changing treatment for the first time.

"This donation signifies belief in the work we are doing and a testament to the expertise of everyone on the team in Southampton.”

Dr Ellie Keeling and a child with Albinism 

Cataract treatment with Dr Jay Self

Ellie’s supervisor, Dr Jay Self, runs a specialist clinic to remove cataracts from children under the age of two.

The condition causes clouded vision and is typically associated with ageing, but it affects around one in 10,000 babies.

Remi Loveridge from Guernsey recently took her son Rory to Southampton to have a cataract in his right eye removed.

“The midwife noticed his red reflex wasn’t coming through, and we were immediately referred to an eye specialist on the Island who then referred us to Southampton.

"I always thought cataracts were an older person’s condition and didn’t affect babies, but his was so dense he couldn’t see through it.

"It was a big decision to have the operation, he is so small and young. But we wanted to give him every opportunity to develop some form of sight from that eye.”

Rory, who is now 4 months old, is now wearing glasses and has attended regular checkups in Southampton.

Dr Self sees around 200 children a year and says early detection and treatment of cataracts is essential to prevent irreversible damage.

Matt Ozanne and Remi Loveridge with Rory

AMD study with Professor Andrew Lotery

Professor Andrew Lotery received his first research grant from the Bailiwick of Guernsey.

He used the money to lead a molecular genetics study of age-related macular degeneration with more than 500 participants, the majority of which came from Guernsey.

The study found that complement mutations strongly increase the risk of the eye disease that affects the central portion of the retina.

The data generated from this study helped develop therapies that are now available in the United States and are currently being considered by the UK.