York Hospital is to become a regional centre for treating an eye disease that is the biggest cause of blindness in the UK.

Previously, patients in York and North Yorkshire would have had to travel to Liverpool to receive Photo Dynamic Therapy to treat macular degeneration - a condition which affects the central retina and causes problems with reading and recognising faces.

The treatment needs to be given within weeks of the diagnosis and patients, who are normally elderly, were sometimes going blind while on the waiting list for treatment.

But thanks to North East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Strategic Health Authority commissioning the life-changing treatment, it is now available at a clinic run by York Hospitals NHS Trust and Harrogate Health Care NHS Trust.

Photo Dynamic Therapy involves the injection of a photo sensitive dye, which after 15 minutes becomes concentrated in any abnormal blood vessels in the eye. A laser light is applied that activates the dye and kills off the abnormal blood vessels to prevent further damage to the eyesight.

Consultant ophthalmic surgeon Gavin Walters, lead clinician for the treatment, said symptoms of macular degeneration include blurring and the appearance of wavy lines in central vision.

He said: "We are delighted to be able to offer this effective treatment which can stabilise the vision in patients with the 'classic' type of macular degeneration in around 70 per cent of cases - without treatment this figure falls to just 30 per cent.

"Patients who undergo the therapy will also be taking part in a national study to assess its effectiveness which we hope will enable enhancements for future patients care."

Diane Roworth, of York Blind and Partially Sighted Society, welcomed the news.

"For those people who are eligible it's fantastic," she said.

"It's an excellent treatment for those who can have it early enough and offering it in York is long overdue."

If anyone has symptoms of macular degeneration they should contact their GP or optometrist.

Updated: 10:51 Friday, August 13, 2004