Dr. William Driebe (second from left), chair of the department of ophthalmology at UF’s College of Medicine, receives a check for $30,000 from Walt McLanahan (third from left), chairman of the North Florida Lions Eye Foundation, and other representatives from the foundation May 26. The funds will support research for age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness among Americans age 60 and older. Photo by Priscilla Santos

May 26 was a very important date for the department of ophthalmology at the University of Florida College of Medicine.

It was the day the North Florida Lions Eye Foundation gave a gift of $30,000, which will be used for research into age-related macular degeneration, a medical condition that usually affects older adults and results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field because of damage to the retina.

“The department of ophthalmology is very appreciative of the Lions Foundation support of our research,” said Dr. William Driebe, chair for the department. “Age-related macular degeneration is a leading cause of blindness among those 60 years and older in our country.”

The research supported by the North Florida Lions Eye Foundation is designed to better understand why AMD occurs and what can be done to treat or prevent this disease.

The North Florida Lions Eye Foundation has donated a total of $80,000 to the department over the years to fund this research.

“The gift will advance the research mission of the College of Medicine and will enhance our ability to treat blinding retinal degenerations,” Driebe said. “The focus of our research projects in macular degeneration is to bring basic science advances directly into the care of our patients through translational research.”