Tetney-born singer Ella Henderson has gifted a signed poster to the team at a local eye clinic who look after her nanna. Eileen Henderson, 89, regularly visits Newmedica Grimsby for treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
And Ella appears to be pleased with the help her family is receiving as she has now gifted them an eye-catching poster with her sought-after signature across it. It's now on display in the clinic for other patients to enjoy.
Professor Richard Gale, Consultant Ophthalmologist and Clinical Partner, said: "Eileen is a long-standing patient of ours and we love hearing stories about how Ella is doing every time she visits us. She is a very proud nanna.
"Every time she's been in for treatment, Eileen reports back to Ella, and Ella was very pleased to hear that we are taking great care for her and gave a signed poster to Eileen to give to us to say thanks. We love it - it takes pride of place on our wall.
"Eileen has been undergoing treatment on a monthly basis with us for about a year. Macular degeneration comes in two forms.
"The first of which is a dry form, which tends to affect both eyes and progresses slowly over many months and years, and tends to cause more difficulties with reading or focusing on fine objects. Dry AMD happens when the pigment layer found under the retina breaks down.
"The more severe or rapid form of deterioration occurs with the wet form where there is often a sudden drop off in the vision in one eye associated with distortion of vision and that may manifest as difficulties in reading out of that eye or recognizing faces, for example. Wet AMD happens when new blood vessels grow underneath the retina. Fluid can escape from these new blood vessels and builds up within the retina, causing damage and a change in vision.
"If you experience symptoms like these it is very important to visit your local opticians promptly so they can investigate and refer you to an ophthalmology specialist like ourselves to implement treatment. For wet AMD, like Eileen has, we administer intravitreal injections which help to stop the growth of unhealthy, leaky bloody vessels in the eye. Patients usually require regular treatment for the rest of their lives to help manage the condition."
Speaking of her experience of undergoing the injections on a regular basis, Eileen Henderson said: "The treatment is manageable and the staff all take good care of me. I asked Ella if she would sign a poster for the team as I felt they deserved a gift and recognition for the work they do."
Professor Gale continued: "Macular degeneration can run in families because it has a genetic component to it, so around a quarter to a third of people who have macular degeneration have a known person in their family also affected by it. But there are other risk factors and things to be mindful of with cigarette smoking being the biggest modifiable risk factor.
"It's also important to maintain the general health of our eyes by having our five-a-day of fruit and vegetables and wearing protective sunglasses on sunny days." Newmedica, Grimsby based at Cromwell Road Medical Centre, offers intravitreal injections to help manage wet AMD both to private and NHS-funded patients.
The clinic is owned and run by consultant ophthalmologists Professor Bernard Chang, Professor Richard Gale, Mr Bataung Mokete, Mr Edward Ridyard and Mr Owen Stewart alongside Operations Director, Michelle Cady. For further information about Newmedica Grimsby, visit www.newmedica.co.uk/clinics/grimsby.