A NEW £1.2 million invest-ment at Westmorland General Hospital has been given the go-ahead.

From January, patients suf-fering from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) will no longer have to travel beyond Morecambe Bay.

At the moment they have to travel to Blackpool, Liverpool or Manchester – but a new service will bring treatment closer to home.

AMD causes severe visual loss and is the most common form of blindness in the UK.

There are two main forms of AMD, which can see sight deteriorating from normal to legal blindness within six months.

The new treatment coming to WGH is known as Lucentis and involves a course of monthly injections into the affected eye.

Gilbert Ozuzu, consultant ophthalmologist for the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are delighted that patients will soon be able receive treatment locally instead of having to travel.

“If AMD isn’t treated quickly, patients can experience a rapid decline in their vision and in some extreme cases, can lose all sight in a matter of weeks.

“Studies show that Lucentis treament can stop vision deterioration and even improve vision in some patients.

"Offering this closer to people’s homes enables us to improve the care we provide across the Bay and take some of the strain off patients.”

He said during the first year, they expect the new service to treat 120 new patients and once the service is fully up and running, this number could rise to around 170 new patients.