Any optometrist could see the early signs of macular degeneration, a disease the eventually causes legal blindness (some peripheral vision remains). Dark spots appear on an image of the eye, slowly clouding central vision.
But 30 years ago, optometrist Donna Mockler wouldnt tell her patients if she saw this, for there was no treatment.
"There was nothing I could offer them, I couldnt offer a lot of hope," she said at her Richmond clinic, Pacific eyeDoctors. "When people would hear that, all they would think was blindness and would become terrified."
Due to advances in vision research, diseases like macular degenerations progress can be slowed and treated, and theres also more education in prevention.
One of the leading funding bodies for research in Canada is Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB) and it comes to Richmond with its annual fundraiser Comic Vision next Wednesday, May 1 at River Rock Casino.
The event features three stand-up comedians and the opportunity for people to meet researchers.
One in nine Canadians still suffer from irreversible vision loss, and more than one million suffer from macular degeneration a number that is only increasing with the aging population.
"Ive witnessed first-hand the devastating effects of vision loss in my patients," said Mockler, who is on the organizing committee for Comic Vision. "A person loses their sense of independence, their mobility and their enjoyment of life."
A friend of hers was terrified to get an eye exam after seeing the affects of macular degeneration on her mother. But after much convincing, she eventually allowed Mockler to examine her.
"When she found out she didnt have it, she just broke down and wept," said Mockler. "It was humbling for me to see. I realized she had been spending years living in fear. Thats what people thought when they heard macular degeneration."
With a charitable organization like FFB, funding is more likely to be provided for small and innovative research bodies, according to Mockler.
These organizations tend not to have a bias that pharmaceutical companies may have, and are willing to take more risks than larger funding companies.
The result has been funds provided for several innovative projects such as stem cell research, retinal implants and drug treatments.
"Seeing the research gives us hope, and were empowered by that hope," said Mockler. "Comic Vision allows us to come together and celebrate this newfound empowerment."
She joined the fundraiser two years ago when a fellow optometrist discovered her young niece and nephew suffered from Usher Syndrome, a rare disease that causes vision loss.
"She was devastated because for all her years in training and research, there wasnt anything she could do for them except to watch them lose their vision," said Mockler. "Joining this fundraiser and seeing money go into research, local research, its empowering and exciting."
The organizing committee consists of a mix of health care practitioners and people who have family members affected by vision loss.
Last years fundraiser raised about $900,000, a huge leap when compared to its first show in 1999, which raised $7,000.
It is projected that over the next 20 years, the cost of vision degeneration to the Canadian health care system will exceed $30 billion.
"With so many people affected by vision loss, the chances are, you will be affected in some way, by having a relative affected," said Mockler. "But even if you arent, we should all care about vision research as taxpayers."
Comic Vision starts at 6:30 p.m. with a reception, show begins at 8 p.m. The comedians will be Graham Clark, Ivan Decker and Jen Grant. There will be games and a live auction. All the money raised by FFB supports research done within Canada. For more information, visit www.comicvision.ca, or www.ffb.ca.
To see a video, visit http://youtu.be/f5mDnz5sWC8.
