A decision by the Ontario government to provide $20 million in funding for an anti-blindness drug is being praised by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.
?The CNIB not only fully supports the Ontario government?s recognition of macular degeneration as a significant health issue, but has actively encouraged the ministry to cover the cost of this treatment,? said Penny Hartin, the executive director of the Ontario division of the CNIB.
Macular degeneration occurs when a macula, a spot, appears at the centre of the retina, where visual acuity is most pronounced. It is also called macula lutea, and the CNIB said the drug can help immensely.
The drug, verteporfin, known commercially as Visudyne, is designed to treat and prevent loss of sight due to the condition, the leading cause of vision loss among clients registering for CNIB services.
Half of new CNIB clients were diagnosed with the eye condition, according to CNIB statistics released in 2000, the most recent ones available.
That large number of people with maculation of the eyes will find their financial burden eased now that the drug is being paid for by the province.
The drug will be covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan.
