A TEAM of Devon optometrists have been nominated for an award to recognise the work they do for people with macular degeneration – the leading cause of blindness in the UK.

Optometrists at Specsavers in Okehampton have been recommended for the award because of their advanced imaging equipment, which allows them to check for changes to the back of the eye, potentially even before the patient has noticed any symptoms.

The quick, painless procedure photographs and takes cross-sectional 3D images of the retina at the back of the eye, and is carried out as part of the sight test for every patient.

The service, which is free, is known as Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), a technique to detect abnormalities that could otherwise be overlooked in a normal eye test.

Director of Specsavers in Okehampton Ian Wills said: 'As the first port of call for a patient experiencing visual problems is often their optometrist, our use of OCT can significantly improve the chance of successful treatment for wet age related Macular Degeneration, since we can refer the patient accurately and promptly to a macular specialist in hospital.

'Since using the OCT every day, we have also discovered that many patients who attend for a routine eye examination have significant intra-retinal fluid in the macular region and who have, as yet, not developed visual symptoms, but who can benefit from an eye specialist's assessment in hospital and monitoring for consideration for early treatment.'

The awards scheme is the first to be run by the national charity, The Macular Disease Society, which supports people with MD, the most common form of blindness in the industrialised world.

The winners will receive their awards at the Society's conference in London on Saturday, September 19.