Jean thankful for drug that saved her sight (From Winsford Guardian)

Jean thankful for drug that saved her sight

8:50am Friday 5th September 2008

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A WINSFORD woman who battled for a sight-saving drug has welcomed news that it will be made available to all.

Jean Jones, from St John’s estate, was facing a life in darkness after being denied the expensive drug Lucentis on the NHS last June.

But following a report in the Winsford Guardian – and pressure from town and borough councillor Charlie Parkinson – she was granted the treatment.

Jean suffers from occult wet macular degeneration and the injections, which cost up to £12,000, have saved, and even improved, the sight she has left.

She said: “The treatment really worked for me, my sight is improving slowly but surely, I couldn’t ask for anything better.

“I’ve had five or six sessions now, the injections are a bit eurghh, but they’re not painful. I have a scan after each one to see how its working and the signs are good. I can see quite well at a distance but not so well close up.”

Without Lucentis, Jean said she would have lost her quality of life altogether, and is thrilled that others will not have to face that prospect.

“Before the treatment I could hardly see,” she said. “I was having difficulty making drinks, half of the water and milk would end up all over the place but now it goes where it is supposed to.

“I’ll never be able to read again or do crosswords but what I have got is brilliant.”

She added: “It’s absolutely marvelous that everyone else is going to get this drug without having to battle for it like I did. If it wasn’t for Clr Parkinson I’d be blind now. I’m positive of that because my sight was just so bad.”

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of sight loss in the UK, so Clr Parkinson hopes the news will raise awareness of the condition and encourage more people to get their eyes tested.

He said: “My main concern now is that people don’t know about the condition, or don’t go for eye tests so they don’t know they have it. The treatment is there now to be used.

“Luckily enough we managed to catch Mrs Jones’ before it was too late to treat but it is not always the case. I’d encourage people to get their eyes checked regularly.”

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