If you are an APS patient who regularly takes hydroxychloroquine (trade names Plaquenil and Quinoric in the UK), please be aware that the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCO) have updated their guidelines regarding eye testing. This is because recent studies have shown that hydroxychloroquine retinopathy is more common than previously reported – around 7 in every 100 patients - especially with long-term use over five years or heavy doses. The risk is much higher in patients who have been taking the drug for 20 years or more: in these patients, between 20-50 out of 100 will develop retinopathy. This type of retinopathy, also known as ‘bull’s eye maculopathy’, damages the retina and symptoms can include partial colour-blindness, loss of fine detail, blurring or distortion, night blindness and permanent central vision loss. Therefore, the RCO now recommends that all patients who take hydroxychloroquine for longer than five years should be referred by their GP, or APS specialis
What cute Christmas cards! I'm hoping that those get circulated, so that more people will become aware of the charity and the syndrome itself. Thanks so much for sharing that! Wishing you guys all the best!
ReplyDeleteNorman Watkins @ Giving Works
Thank you Norman. We are lucky that lots of people show their support of our small charity by sending our Christmas cards - it really does help raise awareness too!
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