Mirroring its counterpart across the Tasman, the Macular Degeneration New Zealand (MDNZ) team is gearing up for ‘Macula Month’ from 1-31 May.

Originally started by the Macular Disease Foundation Australia, Macular Month (well, it used to be a week) is an annual campaign designed to raise awareness of macular disease both directly, through an annual consumer campaign, and through eye health practitioners who are at the cutting edge of catching the disease early and thus preventing blindness.

In New Zealand, supplements company Blackmores and pharmacy chain Health 2000 are running a promotion through Health 2000 stores throughout New Zealand to promote awareness and raise funds for MDNZ. The charity receives 5% of all sales of Blackmores’ eye health products.

MDNZ has written to all optometrists and ophthalmologists reiterating the need to keep patients informed of the dangers of macular degeneration and the importance of Macular Month, with the hope they will get involved. It is providing free consumer cards to give away to at risk patients and is talking to media and advertising organisations with the hope of encouraging some support.

With one in four people expected to be aged over 65 by 2030 and 41% still unaware they could be at risk of macular degeneration, this is not something that can wait, says Phillippa Pitcher, MDNZ general manager in her letter to eye care professionals. “To halt a potential epidemic of blindness, we need to be proactive to save sight so that New Zealanders can live well in old age.”

So, for the month of May at least, when you think ‘May’, think ‘macula’ too. For more about MDNZ and how you can become a “professional friend”, visit, http://mdnz.org.nz/