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. 2023 Mar;37(4):584-586.
doi: 10.1038/s41433-022-02228-7. Epub 2022 Sep 27.

The disparity between funding for eye research vs. the high cost of sight-loss in the UK

Jennifer M Dewing  1 , Andrew J Lotery  1   2 , J Arjuna Ratnayaka  3
Affiliations

The disparity between funding for eye research vs. the high cost of sight-loss in the UK

Jennifer M Dewing et al. Eye (Lond). 2023 Mar.
No abstract available

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Conflict of interest statement

JAR is a member of the Research Advisory Board for Sight Research UK, whilst AJL is a member of the Fight for Sight College of Experts Grants Assessment Panel and Research Director of the Gift of Sight Appeal.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Research investment to address visual problems in the UK.
a The comparatively low levels of research funding for visual problems vs. those for cancer [13] and cardiovascular diseases [14]. b The annual research spend for visual problems compared to those for cancer and cardiovascular diseases as a percentage of their National Health Service (NHS) and UK economic cost.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. The average annual total expenditure by UK eye charities between 2016 and 2020.
The combined average annual expenditure of the five largest UK eye charities consisting of SeeAbility, Blind Veterans UK, Sense, the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), approximate to £350 million per year. By contrast, the equivalent figures for the largest five UK eye research charities, which includes Sight Research UK, Retina UK, the Macular Society, Fight for Sight and the Moorfields Eye Charity, amount to only £18 million.
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References

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