The Macular Disease Society

Macular disease is the leading cause of blindness in the UK and age-related macular degeneration must undergo monitoring to determine if an injection into the eye is required that month [required in 50% of visits] - these patients are the 'frequent fliers' within ophthalmology units, visiting specialist hospital clinics on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. This project aims to create a home-monitoring algorithm that could in the future, enable the movement of 'monitoring' of chronic eye disease into the patients' homes: remotely identifying who does need an in-person appointment, and who can safely stay away from hospital.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether 100mg daily aspirin versus placebo and/or supplementation with 1 gram daily omega-3 fatty acids or placebo prevents "serious vascular events" (i.e. non-fatal heart attack, non-fatal stroke or transient ischaemic attack, or death from vascular causes) in patients with diabetes who are not known to have occlusive arterial disease and to assess the effects on serious bleeding or other adverse events.