Support groups in Holyhead and Cae Garnedd have joined forces to help local people affected by macular disease, the UK’s biggest cause of sight loss.

The Holyhead and Cae Garnedd Macular Society telephone support group will hold their next call on Tuesday, 15 June at 1pm. The session is open to anyone with macular disease, their families or friends, and further combined calls will take place at the same time on the third Tuesday of every month, until face-to-face meetings can be safely resumed.

The previously separate groups, which also cover people living in and around Bangor, are run by members and volunteers of leading sight loss charity the Macular Society. The Society are the only UK charity solely dedicated to funding medical research to beat macular disease, a sight loss condition that affects the central vision.

Macular disease affects around 1.5 million people in the UK, and many more are at risk. There is still no cure and most types of the disease are not treatable. It can have a devastating effect on people’s lives, leaving them unable to drive, read or see faces. Many people affected describe losing their sight as being similar to bereavement. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common form of macular disease, affecting more than 600,000 people, usually over the age of 50.

Marian Williams, Macular Society regional manager, said: “Whilst it’s great news that social restrictions are beginning to ease, people’s health and wellbeing remain our priority. However, it’s absolutely vital that everyone who needs our support continues to receive it. Although our face-to-face services have had to be suspended for the time being, we are still on the end of the phone and would strongly urge anyone to call us if they do need our assistance.

“The telephone groups offer help in understanding macular disease and coming to terms with sight loss; exactly the way that our face-to-face support groups used to do. They also help us to ensure that everyone is kept up to date with all the current news and information. But most importantly, they allow people with macular disease to continue to take part in social activities, helping to reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation during these difficult times.”

If you would like to call in to the group, or for more information about additional support services available locally, please contact Marian on 07495 054053 or email marian.williams@macularsociety.org

The Macular Society suspended all its face-to-face activities when the coronavirus first struck last year, replacing them with a new range of telephone and online support services, including more than 400 telephone support groups that it organises across the UK.

For information on other services currently available from the Macular Society, please call the charity’s Advice and Information Service on 0300 3030 111 or email help@macularsociety.org