Retina Australia in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | Medical and health

Retina Australia

Locality: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Phone: +61 3 9650 5088

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• Charitable organisation
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25.01.2022 "Anyone over 50 should add to their list of health checks a comprehensive eye examination at least every two years, and that includes a check of the macular." Macular Disease Foundation Australia has launched www.CheckMyMacula.com.au to help identify risk factors for age-related macular degeneration.

25.01.2022 "While Reddits lack of alt text capabilities is frustrating to some users, the websites use is text-based, rather than image-based. Most users arent encountering pictures as they scroll through subreddits, but instead are voting on polls, commenting on posts, and messaging." Would you consider accessing Reddit more frequently? [Image is of the Reddit logo displayed on a smartphone]

25.01.2022 In anticipation of World Sight Day on Thursday 8 October, we will be sharing facts, statistics, and links about all things inherited retinal diseases over the next month. We start off with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) which refers to a group of inherited diseases that affect the photoreceptor (light-sensing) cells responsible for capturing images from the visual field. View our detailed fact sheet via the link, and stay tuned as we work towards making all fact sheets audio acc...essible: www.retinaaustralia.com.au/inherited-retinal-diseases/ Image description via the comments.

24.01.2022 How do you rate the audio description service at your local cinema? [Image is of Richard Kakol, the author of the article]

24.01.2022 We are excited to announce our newest ambassador, track and field star, Karlee Symonds Athlete. Karlee was born with Lebers Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) and Macula Coloboma. LCA is a rare genetic condition that impacts on the functioning of the rods and cones of the eye. These inherited retinal diseases have resulted in her being classified as legally blind from birth, however she can identify light. My vision has severely deteriorated over the years, and I have little light p...erception left now. The gradual progress happens slowly over time, but its still noticeable nonetheless, Karlee states. I specifically inherited LCA8: a subtype of the condition where the CRB1 gene is altered. This specific subtype of LCA is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, meaning I received a mutation in both copies of the CRB1 gene. Karlees condition has not discouraged her from finding her passion in track and field athletics. When she was only eleven, she competed as the only Para athlete in the school cross country and qualified to the next stage. It was a turning point, I realized that my condition wasnt going to stop me from being my natural competitive self, Karlee says. It wasnt all smooth sailing however, I took a break from competing for a few years partly to focus on school, but I was also fearful of being judged by individuals who did not know me. I had doubts but my physical education teacher encouraged me to continue with athletics, and thankfully I listened and got back out on the track. Since 2017, Karlee has achieved multiple records and has represented Australia at the Oceania Area Championship. So, what is one of the biggest goals that Karlee wants to achieve in the next few years? To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, I would absolutely love to experience the unique atmosphere of the games. Im also aiming to compete at the Commonwealth Games and World Championships in the next few years. Karlee joins Retina Australia aiming to educate the community on blindness and vision impairment issues, while also helping to remove stereotypes and increase inclusivity within the community. I hope by sharing my story I am able to inspire other blind & vision impaired individuals to follow their passions, no matter what they are, Karlee states. I really want to reach young people and speak about the importance of funding research programs into inherited retinal diseases. It will also be great to get involved in some fundraising events. We look forward to working with Karlee in 2020 and beyond. [Three images make a horizontal collage. From left to right: Karlee outside with a golden Labrador, Karlee is wearing a blindfold and running on the track with her male guide next to her, Karlee outside with a white cane]

23.01.2022 After a bomb blast took away Aaron’s sight and hearing, this 14-year veteran found a new purpose in cooking. [Image is of Aaron facing the camera]

23.01.2022 A feel good story to wrap up 2020. [Image description from left to right: Musician Mathew Whitaker is pictured walking with 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi. Two smaller images show him playing piano]

23.01.2022 We are pleased to announce that the 2021 recipients of the Retina Australia medical research grants are: Dr Lauren Ayton (The University of Melbourne) Professor Alex Hewitt (The University of Tasmania)... Dr Fred Chen (The University of Western Australia) Associate Professor Heather Mack (CERA/The University of Melbourne) Dr Jennifer Thompson (Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital). These grants have a total value of $160,000. Congratulations to the researchers and their teams, we look forward to hearing about how things progress over the next twelve to eighteen months. Thank you to all of our supporters across the country, for without your generous donations, we would not be able to help fund these important programs. View the full announcement and details of the grants via Word here: https://bit.ly/3lLr9pd View the full announcement and details of the grants via PDF here: https://bit.ly/3kJU6Au [Image description: Large white text read ‘2021 Grant Recipients Announced’ amidst a dark blue background. The yellow Retina Australia logo is at the bottom]

23.01.2022 In the lead up to World Sight Day next month, we are highlighting different inherited retinal diseases across our social media pages. Today, we focus on Stargardt Disease. Stargardt Disease is the most common form of inherited juvenile macular degeneration and it affects the portion of the retina known as the macula. The macula is the central portion of the retina. It contains photoreceptor cells known as cone cells, which are responsible for central (reading) vision and for... colour vision. View our detailed fact sheet via the link and please share this with any family members or friends: https://bit.ly/3ckmA0W Image description is available via the comments.

22.01.2022 WIN amazing prizes this weekend! An Amazon Echo Dot smart speaker Vouchers to spend at Bakers Delight Beautiful prints from Danielle's Artwork... The coolest car air fresheners from Smell The Fun A special offer from Goodwill Wine and more! Tickets are only $20 per head (+ booking fee) for two hours of online trivia fun!

22.01.2022 We would like to congratulate Deputy Chairman of Retina Australia, Jeremy DSouza, on his recent appointment to the inaugural Board of Retina International. Retina International (RI) is the global umbrella organisation for patient-led charities and foundations who support research into rare, genetically inherited and age-related forms of retinal disease. RI, of which Retina Australia is a member, has decided to facilitate growth and improve its status within the clinical, r...esearch and philanthropic sectors by moving to a full company structure and model. This is the first time Australia has been represented at this level, in RIs 42-year history, enabling the reinforcement of issues important to our community such as the criticality of focus on and accessibility to, genetic testing. Though important to us, it will provide tangible benefits to all. Jeremy will be working on driving the implementation of RIs 2020-25 Strategic Plan built around its three strategic pillars [Innovate (research focus); Educate (Engagement and Outreach focus); and Participate (Poliy focus)], developing the organisations governance framework and advocating for the collective efforts of clinicians, researchers, policymakers and industry to facilitate the needs of those enduring inherited retinal dystrophies worldwide. [Image is of Jeremy smiling for the camera]

21.01.2022 "While Reddit's lack of alt text capabilities is frustrating to some users, the website's use is text-based, rather than image-based. Most users aren't encountering pictures as they scroll through subreddits, but instead are voting on polls, commenting on posts, and messaging." Would you consider accessing Reddit more frequently? [Image is of the Reddit logo displayed on a smartphone]

21.01.2022 We welcome the announcement from the Australian Government that it will invest $5.9 million into eight vital medical research projects over the next two years. $881,906 will go to The University of Melbourne for the project Using a patients own stem cells to screen for age-related macular degeneration. Retina Australia offered a letter of support to the researchers during the application process, and we look forward to learning about how this exciting project develops.

21.01.2022 Popular professional gamer, Tyler 'Ninja' Blevins, has shared an important message with his followers take a break from the computer and take care of your health.

20.01.2022 Fantastic to have partnered with the innovative team at charityBay earlier this year. The charityBay platform allows you to auction off your beloved items and direct the proceeds to your favourite charity of choice. All listings start at a flat rate of $0.99, but you can select a minimum reserve price. If you select Retina Australia as your charity, we will receive 95% of the selling price. We have seen items listed such as iPads, GoPros, couches, books, vacuum cleaners and m...uch more. Learn more here: www.charitybay.org [Image is of the charityBay logo which is dark blue, teal, yellow, orange and red]

20.01.2022 Disability advocates Graeme Innes AM and Susan Thompson have successfully led the campaign to have the Aira service available at all Sydney stations for the remainder of 2020. [Image is of a railway station and passengers are walking on the platform]

20.01.2022 Netflix has announced a new feature allowing users to adjust the playback speed to be slower or faster. Will you use this new setting on your Android mobile?

19.01.2022 An early Christmas gift for Nathan [Image description: Nathan and his partner Emma are pictured with their two dogs, behind them is a Christmas tree]

19.01.2022 Less than two weeks to go until the Play for Purpose charitable raffle closes! Over $300,000 worth of prizes are up for grabs including: 1st: $250,000 in cashable gold 2nd: $15,000 travel voucher 3rd: $10,000 MYER gift card ... 4th: $5,000 JB HI-FI voucher 5th: $1000 BCF Voucher & so much more! $5 from every $10 ticket purchased will go directly towards supporting Retina Australia. Purchase your ticket via the link: https://playforpurpose.com.au/retina-australia *Not open to residents of Western Australia or the Northern Territory

19.01.2022 We are excited to be partnering with Sipora, a round-up app that can help you save money to pay off debts, spend on retail purchases, and even donate a percentage of your savings each month to a charity. Sipora fast-tracked the charity feature this year to help organisations adapt to the global pandemic and help find new donors. When you sign up with Sipora and use the code "RETINA", Sipora will donate $5 to our organisation just for creating an account. ... Read more about the sign up process and how you can turn your loose change into a donation for Retina Australia here: bit.ly/siporara More about Sipora: www.sipora.com.au/ [Image description: First image is the Sipora logo with a pink background. Second image has text that reads "We have a vision. We want people to see." with the blue Retina Australia logo placed at the bottom]

18.01.2022 "I’m now 37, and 12 years ago I made the decision to switch from cane to guide dog, which has been the most important and transformative decision of my life." Have you ever made the switch from cane to guide dog or vice-versa? [Image is of the author, Uyanga Erdenebold, hugging her guide dog]

17.01.2022 "People with blindsight consistently deny awareness of items in front of them, but they are capable of amazing feats, which demonstrate that, in some sense, they must be able to see them." [A black and white image of the human brain. A bright green section highlights the primary visual cortex]

16.01.2022 The Save Sight Institute is hosting the 8th Annual Community Information Event on Saturday, 19 September from 12:30 PM 4:30 PM AEST via a webinar. This event is for people living with low vision or blindness and those who care for them. Educators are also invited to attend. Register for free and learn more here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/save-sight-institutes-2020-

16.01.2022 Today is R U OK Day, an important reminder to ask a friend, co-worker, or family member the simple question that could save a life, "Are you OK?". 2020 has been a challenging year for us all, and we ask you to especially consider those with low vision and blindness people who could be struggling to adapt to new concepts such as social distancing, wearing masks, paying for items via contact-less methods and increasing the need to stay at home. Unintentional judgement and f...rustrations from the community for not adhering to these concepts can have a severe emotional impact on the individual. Make a call, sent a text, or organise a Zoom to check in with someone. Learn more about how you can keep the conversation going here: www.ruok.org.au/join-r-u-ok-day

15.01.2022 No cane. No human guide. No guide dog. No worries. [Image is of a person's hand holding a smartphone, testing out the Project Guideline technology]

15.01.2022 Less than 8 hours to go before the Play for Purpose raffle closes! $5 from every $10 ticket purchased goes directly to supporting Retina Australia. Check out some of the additional prizes to be won: 6th - 25th... $500 Red Balloon Experiences e-Gift Voucher 26th - 45th $100 JB HiFi e-Gift Voucher 46th - 395th $20 Woolworths WISH e-Gift Voucher Purchase here: https://playforpurpose.com.au/retina-australia *Not open to residents of Western Australia or the Northern Territory

15.01.2022 Sign up today for the virtual Retina International Youth Programme conference. The event will run on August 24th and 25th from 8:00pm EST (7:30pm in SA/NT and 6:00pm in WA). You will hear from expert researchers, patient advocates, and learn about the latest technological developments. If you have an inherited retinal disease, or if you are a friend or family member of an affected individual, Retina International encourages you to join this exciting online event. Registration... and more information here: www.retina-international.org/ri-retina-youth-programme-ava/ [Image is of four people smiling outside with the sun reflecting brightly]

14.01.2022 Your Story Disability Legal Support is hosting an online workshop to find out how they can better promote and deliver services to young people living with a disability. If you are a young person (30 years and under) with a disability and you have ideas you want to share, please register your interest via the link http://bit.ly/35fJOD6

14.01.2022 Last month the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) podcast by Vision Australia featured Dr Lauren Ayton, who is leading a group of 21 investigators from CERA and the University of Melbourne to identify, assess and track the estimated 16,500 Australians with an inherited retinal disease (IRD). [Image is of the blue Vision Australia logo against a yellow background]

14.01.2022 If you purchase the all digital Entertainment Book this month, we will be given an extra $10 or $20 on top of the 20% that we already receive from every membership purchase! Full of amazing offers including: Access to over thousands of 50% off and 2-for-1 offers in your state More restaurants now offering takeaway options 6 months to activate from the date of purchase... Your support will help fund research programs that will develop treatments and ultimately, cures for inherited retinal diseases. Purchase here: www.entertainment.com.au/orderbooks/180p232

14.01.2022 We are delighted to announce that Heather Mack and Joshua Ginpil have recently joined the Retina Australia Board of Directors. Heather has over 30 years’ experience as an ophthalmologist focussing on retinal diseases. She leads the retinal electrophysiology laboratory and clinical trials units at Eye Surgery Associates, Melbourne. She was involved with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, a not-for-profit membership organisation, for 17 years, an...d served as President 2018-2020. Joshua has extensive experience in senior management roles in the Corporate Governance, Audit and Risk Management profession within the Financial Services and Government sectors. Joshua was recently diagnosed with Best Disease and is committed to the challenge of ensuring ongoing funding for research into a cure for all inherited retinal diseases. Learn more about our new directors here: https://www.retinaaustralia.com.au/board-of-directors/ [Image description: Left image is of Heather smiling for the camera, right image is of Joshua smiling for the camera]

13.01.2022 Italian photographer Stefano Sbrulli documented the difficulties of blind and visually impaired people as they adapt to a world of social distancing. Stay safe everyone this is not over. [Image is of a woman standing in an overgrown field on a cloudy day. She is looking towards a block of apartments]

13.01.2022 Teams are filling up fast for our online trivia fundraiser taking place on Saturday 14th November @7.30pm AEDT. We have an epic lineup of prizes & vouchers to be given away, which has been made possible by the support of our generous sponsors below. You will have the chance to win: An innovative Amazon Echo Dot smart speaker ... Vouchers to spend on delicious treats at Bakers Delight Beautiful prints from Danielle's Artwork The coolest car air fresheners from smellthefun.aus A special offer from Goodwill Wine and more! Have a laugh, test your knowledge, support a great cause and hopefully your team come away with some awesome prizes. Tickets are only $20 + booking fee for each team member. Purchase here: https://bit.ly/3onr7oX

12.01.2022 "A new update has added the ability for a computer voice to say aloud what food it thinks a person is holding based on its visual appearance." How good is this?! Are you going to download the Google Lookout app? [Image description: Two smartphones are pictured. The image on the left has a mustard jar on the screen with a blue text message atop reading Mustard with pickles, 14oz. The image on the right has a letter on the screen with a red marker highlighting the middle section]

12.01.2022 Retina Australia Chairman, Leighton Boyd, was featured in the Herald Sun article last weekend I spy, with my bionic eye. The article discusses a revolutionary device an implant and camera headset produced by Monash Vision Group that could help people who are blind to see again. Big thank you to journalist Alanah Frost & photographer David Caird from the Herald Sun for organising the article and sending a copy to share with our followers and members. View the Word ver...sion here: https://bit.ly/3c5H8u9 View the PDF version here: https://bit.ly/33yDDsg [Image is of the featured article and has Leighton and his grandson, Franklin, both smiling for the camera]

11.01.2022 "The project involves implanting devices containing small electrodes into the occipital cortex, a part of the brain that processes visual information. The device will receive signals based on images from a camera that the user wears on a headband. The signals command the implanted devices to electrically stimulate neurons to produce an apparent visual perception of tiny white spots called phosphenes. Researchers hope these white spots can form images that can help people with... blindness better recognize objects and navigate their surroundings." [Image is the human brain. Multiple colours highlight different areas of the brain's anatomy]

10.01.2022 Assistive technology device, IrisVision, allows Lachlan Davidson to watch his beloved Western Bulldogs and also attend TAFE classes with ease. [Image is of Lachlan in his living room, wearing the IrisVision device over his eyes]

09.01.2022 A wonderful initiative!

09.01.2022 We are excited to bring you a series of exciting and informative webinars over the next twelve months. The webinars will be hosted by some of Australias leading researchers, providing information about the latest developments in eye research. We aim to run these events every two months. Our first webinar will occur on Thursday 13th August and is titled Genetic analysis and how this can help patient management and the development of therapies for inherited retinal dise...ases. It will be presented by Dr John De Roach, Principal Investigator at Australian Inherited Retinal Disease Registry and Gene Bank, along with colleagues Ms Terri McLaren and Dr Tina Lamey. Find out more about this webinar and download the flyer here: www.retinaaustralia.com.au/news/ This event is free for Retina Australia members or $15 for non-members. Learn more about the benefits of joining as an Associate or Full Member here: www.retinaaustralia.com.au/membership/ [Three individual images from left to right: The yellow Retina Australia logo, a man standing in front of a brown lectern with a projector screen behind, a laptop is placed on a small table amidst a red background]

09.01.2022 "Under normal circumstances, manoeuvring through life with low vision is challenging to say the least. Now add in social-distancing of six feet; one-way aisles and taped floor markings to indicate where we should be standing; having to touch produce to discern freshness, and accidentally standing too close to people because I dont see them." As the pandemic continues, have you found it easier or harder to get used to this new way of life? [Image description: A woman is photographed amidst a yellow and green background, which creatively covers her eyes]

07.01.2022 In case you missed the announcement last month, all denominations of Australian banknotes are now accessible to people who are blind or have low vision, following the release of the next generation of Australia’s $100 banknote. [Image is of multiple $100 Australian banknotes]

07.01.2022 "Theia has the capacity to expand a blind persons comfort zones and possibilities, broaden their horizons and allow them to think less about walking and more about whats waiting for them at the end of the route. A game-changer for those looking at alternative mobility solutions. [Image description: A persons hand is holding the white & grey mobility device, which is called Theia]

07.01.2022 "Apple has packed an interesting new accessibility feature into the latest beta of iOS: a system that detects the presence of and distance to people in the view of the iPhone’s camera, so blind users can social distance effectively, among many other things." This innovative feature will be available for iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max users and hopefully set the standard for the next generation of smartphones. [Image is of a black iPhone]

06.01.2022 There is still time to sign up for our webinar tomorrow. Free for Retina Australia members or $15 for non-members. More information

05.01.2022 Just like that the shortest day of the year, the Winter Solstice, has come and gone. Thank you for considering those with night blindness, declining sight and inherited retinal diseases this weekend. We truly appreciate all the donations coming in for our Annual Research Appeal. Your support will help find treatments and cures for inherited retinal diseases. You can still donate here until 30 June: www.retinaaustralia.com.au/donate/... [Image is of individual wooden cubes that spell out Thank You over a white background. A yellow paper heart is placed between the words]

05.01.2022 "Visually impaired women can’t use pregnancy tests without assistance, so British designers have created a pioneering prototype, which allows such women to be the first to learn their results." [Image is of a woman holding the pregnancy test prototype]

05.01.2022 This is very special amazing work by the team at Kmart Australia [Image is of a male child holding a doll that is vision impaired]

05.01.2022 The Audio Game Jam is currently running with over 150 gaming developers & designers coming together to build accessible online games that can be used by people who are blind or have low vision. If you are a passionate gamer, the group would love for you to test out these online games and provide some feedback on the audio and accessibility features. Learn more here: https://itch.io/jam/agjam

05.01.2022 FINAL HOURS TO GET TICKETS FOR TRIVIA! WIN awesome prizes! An Amazon Echo Dot smart speaker... Beautiful prints from Danielle's Artwork The coolest car air fresheners from Smell The Fun Vouchers to spend at Bakers Delight A special offer from Goodwill Wine and more! $20 + booking fee and you have until 5.00pm AEDT to purchase. Don't forget to log on at 7:00pm AEDT to sort out your teams & watch the live hosting stream, before we kick off at 7.30pm AEDT. Purchase here: https://bit.ly/3onr7oX

05.01.2022 Popular professional gamer, Tyler Ninja Blevins, has shared an important message with his followers take a break from the computer and take care of your health.

04.01.2022 Great interview from Sunrise yesterday, sharing the story of Jesse Dufton who has retinitis pigmentosa and became the first blind person to lead a climb up the 137m high Old Man of Hoy sea stack in Scotland. The documentary, Climbing Blind, will finally have its Australian premiere this week in selected cinemas. Find out more: www.eventcinemas.com.au/Movie/Climbing-Blind [Image is of Jesse climbing the sea stack]

04.01.2022 What a win for the community! Fantastic news!

02.01.2022 TAKE TWO Thank you so much for all the feedback, we've updated the graphic to ensure that everyone can view it now with the correct colour contrast. Info below In anticipation of World Sight Day on Thursday 8 October, we will be sharing facts, statistics, and links about all things inherited retinal diseases over the next month. ... We start off with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) which refers to a group of inherited diseases that affect the photoreceptor (light-sensing) cells responsible for capturing images from the visual field. View our detailed fact sheet via the link, and stay tuned as we work towards making all fact sheets audio accessible: www.retinaaustralia.com.au/inherited-retinal-diseases/ Image description via the comments.

02.01.2022 We are absolutely thrilled to announce that between May and June this year we raised over $60,000 for our Annual Research Appeal. This is an incredible achievement that could not have been reached without your generosity. The funds raised will go directly to the researchers and their teams, as they help shape the future for over 15,000 people living with an inherited retinal disease in Australia. It has been a challenging time for the community and your support is greatly ap...preciated. Every donation, no matter how small, is extremely valuable in helping us fund medical research programs into early detection, treatment, and ultimately a cure for inherited retinal diseases. We appreciate you following and engaging with our social media pages during this period by either commenting, liking, or sharing with your own networks this has helped the organisation grow online and reach people in need of support. The Grants Advisory Committee is currently assessing research grant applications and will make recommendations to the Retina Australia Board with regard to the most promising research project being proposed. The Board will consider the recommendations at its October meeting and the successful grant recipients will be announced in November. Thank you again [Image description: Large white text reads Thank you for helping us raise over $60,000 amidst a dark blue background. The yellow Retina Australia logo is at the bottom]

02.01.2022 TAKE TWO Thank you so much for all the feedback, weve updated the graphic to ensure that everyone can view it now with the correct colour contrast. Info below In anticipation of World Sight Day on Thursday 8 October, we will be sharing facts, statistics, and links about all things inherited retinal diseases over the next month. ... We start off with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) which refers to a group of inherited diseases that affect the photoreceptor (light-sensing) cells responsible for capturing images from the visual field. View our detailed fact sheet via the link, and stay tuned as we work towards making all fact sheets audio accessible: www.retinaaustralia.com.au/inherited-retinal-diseases/ Image description via the comments.

02.01.2022 A 2018 article that is just as relevant today, many of us are not realising the short and long-term impact of excessive screen time. Please share this with someone that you think needs a reminder to take planned breaks from their laptop, smartphone or tablet. [Image is of a man laying on the couch and holding up his tablet. The tablet has a very bright screen illuminating blue light]

02.01.2022 Thank you so much to all of our generous donors who have given to our Annual Research Appeal over the last six weeks. Today is your last chance to get in a tax-deductible donation for the 2019-2020 financial year. 100% of funds raised will go towards life-changing, innovative, and important research programs that will help in the treatment, and ultimately cures of inherited retinal diseases. The final amount raised will be shared with our members and social media communit...y next month. Link here: www.retinaaustralia.com.au/donate/ [Image is of wooden blocks that spell out Donate|

01.01.2022 As the competition came to an end this week on Masterchef Australia, we are highlighting the first-ever blind contestant on the UK series, Amar Latif. Amar has retinitis pigmentosa which caused him to lose 95 percent of his vision by the time he reached the age of 18. Amar explains why he joined the series and how his relationship with cooking has changed. [Image is of Amar smiling for the camera, with the blue Masterchef logo and various utensils in the background]