“It’s possible a cure won’t be found in time to help someone like me. But, something is being done.”

Bill knew that his life would change following his diagnosis of macular disease, but he did not want to simply give up.

He said: “When I was diagnosed in 2015, I’d never heard of macular disease, didn’t have a clue what it was; it was a real hammer blow.

“I’d always led a very active life – I was in the Army and been part of the shooting team. I’d played rugby, football, golf, and snooker and been generally quite sporty. I’d always been able to see in fine detail, so I didn’t understand why this had happened to me.

“I used to really enjoy driving and where I live, I was just a short drive away from some beautiful countryside, scenery and wildlife. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to do that anymore.

“But, life goes on. I’m not someone who will just accept things. I needed to find out what I could do to help me manage, what support was available and what was being done to find a cure.

“I rang the Macular Society’s Helpline and I joined as a member straight away. I also started going to my local Macular Society Support Group. The group’s been a tremendous help to me. It really does make a big difference, being able to speak to others who truly understand what it’s like to have sight problems.

“I’m nearly 84 now and it’s possible a cure won’t be found in time to help someone like me. But, something is being done.

“The Macular Society is funding research, which will help find a cure, and will help lots of other people in future; that’s what matters most.”

Thanks to you, research to find a cure is happening right now, so in the future people like Bill won’t lose their sight.