**** Alan added (Nystagmus is encountered by many Ataxians)
Carrots feed Cardiff eye research
Cardiff University is using a £15k fund awarded by the Nystagmus Network (NN) and Fight for Sight to investigate the phenomenon of oscillopsia in nystagmus. Oscillopsia is the sensation that the world is wobbling in tune with the involuntary eye movements typical of nystagmus. The Cardiff team hopes to shed light on why some people with nystagmus experience oscillopsia more than others.
The aim of the Cardiff research is to develop a treatment that addresses the often alarming effects of oscillopsia. The study will compare results from people with normal vision, infantile nystagmus syndrome (INS) and acquired nystagmus (AN). Dr Jon Erichsen and his team at the Cardiff Research Unit for Nystagmus (RUN) will use visual illusions to test motion perception in order to help determine why some people with nystagmus experience oscillopsia.
Dr Erichsen, Senior Lecturer and Director of Cardiff University’s Research Unit for Nystagmus (RUN), said: “My colleagues and I are very pleased and excited to receive this award, which will allow us to establish a new dedicated facility for measuring motion perception in subjects with and without nystagmus. Our hope is that our studies will provide the basis for developing novel treatments to minimise the unpleasant impact of oscillopsia in people’s everyday lives.”
The project is funded equally by Fight for Sight and NN. The source of the funding was the 2013 Carrots NightWalk. Fight for Sight held four sponsored walks simultaneously around the UK, NN entered teams in London and Cardiff.
Richard Wilson, Nystagmus Network Chairman, said: “The Fight for Sight Carrots NightWalk has become a firm favourite in our diary with NN trustees, staff, and members coming together to support nystagmus research. The work of Dr Erichsen and his team at Cardiff is important in finding treatments of nystagmus and we are pleased he has been given this award to broaden his research.”
Dr Dolores Conroy, Director of Research at Fight for Sight said: “We are delighted to be partnering working with the Nystagmus Network to fund vital research into this debilitating condition and we are pleased that one of the priorities for research into nystagmus from the Sight Loss and Vision Priority Setting Partnership is being addressed.”
NN is helping to recruit participants for this new research project and would like to hear from people who have either INS or AN. Please contact: John Sanders on 029 2045 4242 email: ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■.
The Nystagmus Network is the world’s largest provider of funding towards nystagmus specific research. This latest funding takes the total amount invested by NN in research projects (including an international research workshop) over the last two years to around £70k.
For more information about the Nystagmus Network, please contact: John Sanders, information and development manager, tel: 029 2045 4242, email: ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ or helpline: 0845 634 2630 email: ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ website: http://www.nystagmusnet.org
Ends
For further information contact:
Steve McKay, Press officer
Tel: 01626 206726
Email: ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■
John Sanders, Information and development manager
Tel: 029 2045 4242 or 0845 634 2630
Email: ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■
Heather Richardson, Media Officer at Fight for Sight
Tel: 0207 264 3906
Email: ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■