Blog Posts

Cornea Donation Shortfall Highlighted

Fight for Sight is working to raise awareness of the importance of eye donations after research has found that eyes are the organ that people would be the least likely to donate following their death.
The eye research charity has highlighted that there is currently a shortfall in corneas that can be used for transplant, with statistics released by NHS Blood and Transplant this month reporting that there are currently 279 corneas in eye banks, despite the target being to have around 350 at all times.

Continue Reading on Optometry Today website

AGM Report

Our well attended, AGM was held on 23rd March 2019.

Three new committee members were appointed namely, Batcho Notay, Caroline Condillac and Jacqui Thomas.  Moira O’Brien resigned for health reasons.  The meeting paid tribute to Moira who has been a supporter of the KC group since its inception.  Click here to see a full list of officials.

The Chairmans report is available here

The meeting was followed by a fascinating talk by Alison Hardcastle, Professor of Molecular Genetics at the Institute of Ophthalmology Faculty of Brain Sciences, who spoke about the Moorfields genetic study.

To read the research summary published by UCL INSTITUTE OF OPHTHALMOLOGY- click here

 

How many people have keratoconus?

This is an interesting article published by the National Keratoconus Foundation in America:

For many years, it’s been long stated that keratoconus occurs in one person in every 2,000. In an article published in March 2017, the American Journal of Ophthalmology, Dr. Daniel Godefrooij, from the University of Utrecht, refines our understanding of incidence and prevalence of KC(2).

The analysis that KC occurs in 1 in every 2,000 people was derived from a patient registry that was initiated in part by NKCF, over the span of fifty years from the 1930s to the 1980s. Some early supporters of NKCF likely participated in the voluntary survey.  Read More…

Fight for Sight / Keratoconus Group Small Grant Award

We are pleased to announce that we have entered in to an agreement with Fight for Sight to support an award up to the value of £15,000 to fund research into the condition Keratoconus.

The Award will be funded as to 50% by Keratoconus Group and 50% by Fight for Sight.

Latest Update

We can now announce that the funding has been awarded to a team led by Dr Mouhamed Al-Aqaba at Nottingham University .  The project is titled – “The involvement of corneal nerves in the pathogenesis and progression of keratoconus”.  The research team has already identified that corneal nerves are dramatically altered in KC and will now be looking at whether these changes have a relation to the severity and progression of KC and identifying the types of nerves involved. This promises to increase the understanding of the condition, and may eventually lead to new interventions.

This is an exciting adventure made possible by the generous sponsorship of Barbican Insurance.

For full details are on the the Fight for Sight website – Here

Concert in aid of KC research


What a wonderful evening.  An intimate setting with a glass of wine.  Perfect lighting bringing her sisters paintings to life.
Australian viola player  Michelle Urquhart and her friend Marco van Pagee gave a delightful solo viola and viola duet recital.
Michelle is the NSW representative for Keratoconus Australia and all proceeds from tickets/donations will come to the KC Group to be used for research into KC to benefit those with KC worldwide.
It is worth quoting this from the programme:
“It was whilst studying music at the Sydney Conservatorium that Michelle’s eyesight started to fail.  She underwent her first corneal graft.  It failed, and for four and a half years she was legally blind.  Following serious eye infections and rejection she underwent an emergency graft.
Sight restored, Michelle threw herself back into her music.  ‘Having my sight taken away and then having a second chance at music with my successful transplants has been a miracle and the great gift of my life.  I want to make the most of every moment and share my music with the world, and support others with Keratoconus.’ “

Visualise Resource Pack

Visualise is a charity that helps organisations find the answers that make their services more inclusive and accessible to people with a visual impairment and other disabilities. As leaders in their field, they bring extensive experience and knowledge of disability, both personally and professionally, to business and organisations.

To access the Resource Pack For Health & Social Care Professionals Supporting People With Sight Loss
– Click on this link