Eye assessment project could return to Bridlington later this year in a bid to boost participant numbers

Bridlington residents over the age of 55 were invited to take part in the initiative.

However, organisers of the three-week project said the response from locals wasn’t as good as they’d hoped for.

They are now considering returning to Bridlington for one or two weeks in either September or October in order to add more participants.

The Beap study is investigating how often Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) occurs in the UK, how the different forms and stages of the condition progress in the UK population, and how they are related with the genes of individuals.

Researchers Winfried Amoaku and Professor Gregory Hageman assessed the backs of people’s eyes by taking photographs and photo-scans of all residents to determine the frequency of the different forms/stages of AMD in the population.

Winfried Amoaku, associate Professor and Hon Consultant Ophthalmologist Academic Ophthalmology at the University of Nottingham, said: “The response to the Beap study wasn’t as good as we’d hoped for so we are considering a return to Bridlington later in the year in order to add some new participants.

“We would like to thank everyone who took part in the sessions at St Johns Methodist Church Hall. The information gathered will make a real difference.”

The original Beap project involved more than 3,500 Bridlington people when it first started in 2002.

Go to www.beap-study.uk or call 07773 134577 for more information.