Take Professor John Marshall MBE, who invented and patented the revolutionary Excimer laser to correct refractive disorders in laser surgery. Over 40 million procedures have now been carried out worldwide.

Then there is a study by Professor Gus Gazzard which showed laser-based treatment for glaucoma is more effective than eye drops, potentially saving the NHS millions in the process.

More recently, Fight for Sight funded researcher Dr Gavin Arno, identified new genetic associations with eye diseases as part of the government’s 100,000 genomes project. (5) Until now, geneticists could only study up to about 2% of the three billion letter genome. However, the results of this study will potentially improve diagnosis by 10-15% and help make the case for NHS England to become the first globally to offer the technology in routine tests for rare inherited eye diseases.

Eye research lends itself to collaboration

The eye can crucially forewarn us of ailments in other parts of the body. Today, retinal images can help diagnose conditions including anaemia, high blood pressure and diabetes. We are also investigating the link between arthritis and eye inflammation.

The UK is widely acknowledged as a global leader in vision research. Positive developments and partnerships throughout the devolved nations need the backing of the UK government to maintain the pace and momentum for new discoveries.

Sadly, we still see numerous projects fail to progress from promising early research to possible new therapies or treatments. That is why it is so vital that Fight for Sight and others continue to invest in fundamental science in the eye to ensure translation into new treatments for patients. Here, governments have a role to play in supporting early discovery and translational research, breaking down regulatory barriers and enabling UK-wide charitable, academic and industrial partnerships.

This is vital if we are to bridge the gap and ensure that “bench to bedside” research is successfully carried out.