Scientists develop easier test for blindness

Researchers from Australia's Vision Centre demonstrated the test under lights for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) - one of the world's leading causes of blindness.

A new study shows that age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can be just as effectively and more rapidly and inexpensively diagnosed under bright lights, instead of requiring patients to sit for 20 minutes in a darkened room.

"AMD accounts for half of the legal blindness cases in Australia," says Professor Ted Maddess from The Vision Centre and The Australian National University.

"It affects one in seven people over the age of 50, costing the nation USD 2.6 billion a year. Globally, it affects 25 to 30 million people, with an annual cost of USD 343 billion.

"While current tests for AMD are done in the light, scientists have proposed that it might be better if the patient has their vision adapted to the dark prior to the test," he said in a statement.

"This is because they had found that rod receptors