The tenth annual ‘Run for Retina Research’ is an event developed to raise funds for research at the Ivey Eye Institute in London Ontario. Thousands in our community and beyond suffer from genetic retina eye disorders such as Retinitis Pigmentosis, Best’s Disease, Usher Syndrome, Coat’s Disease, Age Related Macular Degeneration and Stargardt’s Disease, a juvenile form of Macular Degeneration.
The impact of developing Macular Degeneration, at any age, is the devastation of
the loss of personal independence and activity level as a result of this cruel impairment. The visual world gradually diminishes into a vague blur, making ordinary daily activities challenging or for some, impossible.

How we are making a difference

Thanks to the generous support of so many in our community, the Run for Retina has raised close to $300,000 in its 9-year history to support retinal research and the purchase of new equipment for clinical care at the Ivey Eye Institute at St. Joseph’s Health Care, London.

At the Institute, St. Joseph’s care team helps preserve sight in those who struggle with vision disorders or diseases. They conduct research aimed at providing novel disease management. The Ivey Eye Institute is a Canadian leader in the delivery of specialized clinical and surgical eye care and it treats patients ranging from newborns to seniors.

The centre sees almost 80,000 clinical visits and performs more than 12,000 surgical and laser procedures every year. They also offer emergency eye care around the clock and are one of the busiest facilities nationally for the treatment of macular degeneration - the leading cause of legal blindness in Canada.