Dr Kerryn Phelps, Health Editor, with Tracey Grimshaw, Channel Nine, 'Today'

PHELPS: Good morning Tracey.

GRIMSHAW: What causes this?

PHELPS: We don't know exactly what causes it, but it's very common. We do know that there are some risk factors and the big ones are smoking, and age, and genetics. Now, if you have two parents with macular degeneration you have a 20 times higher risk of developing it, yourself.

GRIMSHAW: Of those three, there is only one you can do anything about. That's the smoking, the others you have no control over.

PHELPS: Well, that's true. You can really improve your chances of preserving your vision if you stop smoking. Genetics, you can't do very much about, but the other thing you can do something about is making sure you have a diet that's rich in fresh fruit and vegetables.

GRIMSHAW: Why does that help?

PHELPS: Well, there are some theories that the non-biodegradable substances in the foods that we eat today, in the processed foods, do tend to accumulate around the back of the retina, and cause long-term damage there, because they're not being cleared, and that's why there is a theory that if you take antioxidants that you might be able to preserve your vision, so by that I mean by taking supplements of vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc.

GRIMSHAW: So, if you start to get early degeneration, cause I'd like to talk to you about what early symptoms are, can you change your diet and forestall it?

PHELPS: What people might notice early on, is that if they are looking at, for example, some Venetian blinds, instead of a straight line, they might see wobbles in the line, if they're looking at a grid, they might see that the grid is distorted in the centre, or that the lines are a bit wavy.

GRIMSHAW: Right.

PHELPS: That's a sign that they should get along and see their doctor about it, and have their eyes tested. Any sort of distortion of your vision ought to be examined as urgently as possible. Looking at the figures, it's pretty frightening about a half million Australian's, that's what your doctor will see if they have a look in the back of your eye, and you do have degeneration of your retina, and you might also notice what's called a central skartanal, a central loss of vision like that, where there would be a black spot right in the middle part of your vision. Now, that makes it very difficult also to read, because you'll notice if you look at this, that's what a person with macular degeneration in the early stages will see, bits of the letters just aren't there.

GRIMSHAW: Right.

PHELPS: And there might be distortion of the shape, or you might think it's a bad typewriter, or a bad print, but it's something that is constantly there when you try to read. So, people with macular degeneration, it really affects their life quite significantly because, even just sort of recognising someone's face, if you try and focus on a persons face, you won't be able to see, the features of their face. Obviously, very difficult for using a computer, for reading, for driving.

GRIMSAHW: So, what's the treatment?

PHELPS: The treatment in the early stage is laser. Now, what this does is stop the leak of the haemorrhage little blood vessels at the back of the macular, which is the central part of the retina. It wont reverse the problems that are already there, but it will stop them progressing for a time. But, there is a new treatment now, called photodydynaminc theory, and this is where a needle is placed in a vein and a green dye is put into the blood vessels and they concentrate at the back of the eye, then a special light is shone on to the back of the retina, and that destroys those abnormal blood vessels. So, that's a new treatment that's now available.

GRIMSHAW: And, is that once again, is that a cure, or is that something that will simply slow down the progress of the condition?

PHELPS: Slows down the progress.

GRIMSHAW: And, once you start to get early symptoms, because we talked about diet earlier, once you start to get those early symptoms we talked about, is that to late to get into your antioxidants and your fresh fruit and vegetables?

PHELPS: Never too late. Never to late to stop smoking, not even for macular degeneration. To stop the progression of this disease, you've got to pull out all stops and do whatever you can.

GRIMSHAW: Alright.

PHELPS: Getting to your doctor, making sure you have regular eye checks, over the age of 40 are things that are very important for a number of reasons, including glaucoma, but preserving your vision into old age will help preserve independence, and quality of life.

GRIMSHAW: I wanted to talk to you about retinitis pigmentosa, which is sometimes called tunnel vision, which is kind of the reverse of that, but, I really think we need to talk about this new meningococcal vaccine, perhaps even more importantly. Who should have that?

PHELPS: Well, it's been discussed at the moment as to wether the Government will fund it as a national vaccination program, and they're looking at the cost benefit analysis at the moment. At the moment, parents of babies over the age of six weeks can get the vaccine it wont protect against all forms of meningococcal disease because there is B and C, but you need to also look at the numbers. There were 400 cases in the whole of Australia last year. There were 25 deaths, they're obviously horrific deaths, but I think it's worth weighing the benefits against the possible side-effects of any vaccination, and we'll will make the deliberations of the expert committee to see whether it is something that should be broadly offered. But, clearly children who are in institutional settings, children who are at higher risk who perhaps might have vulnerability because of their immunity to disease, they should really be the ones who are looking at it at the moment. If you've got any questions about it, at all, there is a phone number that you can call, and you can also talk to your GP about it and get some information.

GRIMSHAW: Do you know that phone number off the top of your head, we've got a macular degeneration phone number.

PHELPS: I don't have the phone number…talk to your GP, that's the important one.

GRIMSHAW: Okay, thanks Kerryn. And if you'd like more information on the treatment of macular degeneration, the number is on your screen now, Macular Degeneration Foundation, 1800 111 709.

Ends