New Website for People Impacted by Age-Related Macular Degeneration Launched by Patient Advocacy Groups

BALA CYNWYD, Penn., March 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Macular Degeneration Foundation, BrightFocus Foundation, MD Support, Prevent Blindness and The SupportSight Foundation have launched AMD Central, an online resource that curates trusted information and tools from leading advocacy organizations to support the age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patient and caregiver community.

AMD is a progressive eye disease that affects the macula, a small portion of the retina, causing irreversible central vision loss in one or both eyesⁱ and is categorized as "dry" or "wet."ⁱⁱ It is also the leading cause of severe vision loss and legal blindness in people over the age of 65 in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia; impacting an estimated 20 million people worldwide.^{iii, iv,v}

For many people with AMD, managing life as they lose their sight is overwhelming and exacerbated by the need to navigate the plethora of AMD content available online. Realizing there was an opportunity to improve this experience, AMD Central was created as a first-of-its kind resource for this community to help patients and caregivers more easily find AMD support in one place. It is designed to empower patients to take ownership of their eye condition as a catalyst to change the way they handle their health and wellness.

"As leaders in the low vision advocacy community, my colleagues and I have a mutual interest in, and shared responsibility to, help AMD patients live their best lives every day," said Dawn Prall, Founder & Executive Director, The SupportSight Foundation, and Co-founder, AMD Central. "We hope that by joining forces to build this unique and much-needed resource, we will help make their journey with the disease a bit easier."

AMD Central features a wide range of resources, including clinical details about the condition and practical advice for living with low vision. The site was also developed with the accessibility needs of this community in mind: visitors are able to alter display settings on both desktop and mobile, many resources are available as both print and audio files to encourage utilization, and select materials are available in Spanish.

"When I was first diagnosed with AMD, I didn't know where to start when it came to getting guidance," said Sandy Seitz, a person living with macular degeneration. "AMD Central is absolutely the encyclopedia of macular degeneration! Whether you're a patient or loved one looking for information, you can find the answers you need with just a few clicks."

The creation of AMD Central was made possible through support from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.

To access AMD Central, visit www.AMDCentral.org.

About the Founders

• American Macular Degeneration Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to improving the lives of those affected by Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) through research, education, advocacy, and direct response to individuals requesting information.
• BrightFocus Foundation is a non-profit organization funding exceptional scientific research worldwide to defeat macular degeneration, glaucoma and Alzheimer's disease, and provide expert information on these heartbreaking diseases.
• MD Support is a world-wide non-profit public service organization that provides information and support for people who are affected by macular degeneration and similar retinal diseases.
• Prevent Blindness is the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and preserving sight.
• The SupportSight Foundation is a non-profit organization providing patient education and access to low vision resources to help individuals, families, and caregivers whose lives are severely impacted by AMD.

About AMD Central
AMD Central is an online resource that curates trusted information and support tools from leading patient advocacy organizations in one, convenient, accessible destination to help people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) live their best lives.

AMD Central was developed to help patients and caregivers more easily find resources about AMD. It is our hope that with this knowledge, people impacted by the disease can take ownership of their eye condition and begin to change the way they manage their health and wellness.

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SOURCE AMD Central