A NEW discovery from RMIT University is raising hopes for people living with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), including a local family who know the disease all too well.
Researchers at RMIT, in collaboration with the Centre for Eye Research Australia, have developed an experimental eyedrop that can deliver protective nutrients directly to the back of the eye. This is the same area currently only reached through uncomfortable and invasive injections.
In early animal and cell studies, the eyedrops carried lutein, an antioxidant compound found in Gac fruit, safely to the retina. The compound remained stable for months at room temperature and appeared to protect retinal cells from stress and damage linked to vision loss. While the work is still in its early stages, scientists believe the technology could one day change the way AMD is treated.
For Wonthaggi’s Sharon Oates and her sisters, this type of breakthrough is more than a scientific milestone. It represents hope.
“Dad is legally blind, so he can’t see anything, and Mum has to have an injection in her eye every eight weeks, so we see the effects every day,” Sharon said.
When asked about her own biggest concern, Sharon’s answer was blunt. “Going blind.”
That is why the idea of a simple eyedrop feels so significant.
“It would be very significant for anyone that has to get an injection in their eye for any particular reason. It would be a total game changer,” she said.
Sharon is familiar with the team at the Centre for Eye Research, where Professor Rick Liu is leading work into gene technology for new treatments. She has even offered to take part in clinical trials.
Sharon, along with sisters Kerry Fitzgerald and Leesa Willmott, have spent the past three years raising money and awareness through the Lions Ride for Sight. Known as Team Sisters, the trio have turned their efforts into an impressive fundraising achievement.
“In three years, we’ve raised over $110,000, and this year’s ride raised $50,800,” Sharon said.
The event is no small task. Riders cover hundreds of kilometres across Gippsland’s steep hills, often in tough conditions.
“The word that comes to mind is challenging. Certainly, physically, but raising the money is a challenge in its own right as well,” she said.
Despite the hardship, Sharon says the motivation has always been clear.
“The more money that we can raise and community awareness that we can raise with regard to AMD and eye health in general, the better. It’s something that is overlooked by the general population.
Until it affects you, you don’t really think about it.”
Hearing about research breakthroughs reassures her that the long rides are worth it, and for Sharon, the importance of new therapies cannot be overstated.
“If there’s a significant breakthrough in drugs that can be created to slow the progression down or even stop it, that’s a great thing. I’d rather give my left arm and my hearing than go blind.”