The Jack McGovern Coats’ Disease Foundation, a nonprofit patient organization committed to supporting critical disease research and raising disease awareness, is offering travel grants for recipients to attend the 2020 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) Conference, the Retina Society 2020 Annual Meeting, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) 2020: Vision conference. These grants are specifically for researchers and doctors that specialize in retina-related disease, particularly those that affect children.
- The ASRS Conference will be held from July 24th-28th in Seattle, Washington.
- The Retina Society 2020 Annual Meeting will be held in New York City from August 16th-19th.
- AAO 2020: Vision will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada from November 14-17th.
About Coats’ Disease
Coats’ disease is a rare disorder that affects the eyes. It is related to glaucoma and is most distinguished by the appearance of abnormal blood vessels behind the retina. While believed to be genetic in origin, Coats’ disease is not inherited from the parents. It is sometimes associated with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). The disease is triggered by the disintegration of the blood-retinal barrier, found in the endothelial cells. Symptoms include blurred vision, abnormal reflection of the retina (usually white colored), floaters, light flashes, and yellow eye reflection in flash photography. Vision loss often begins in the upper region of the visual field, and can affect the center or peripheral vision first. Generally only one eye is affected. Treatment include laser surgery and cryotherapy, which can destroy the unusual blood vessels and halt disease progression, but this isn’t applicable to all cases. Sometimes, Coats’ disease will halt or (more rarely) reverse on its own. To learn more about Coats’ disease, click here.
Since part of the foundation’s mission includes spreading awareness about Coat’s disease, giving professionals the opportunity to learn more could be an important catalyst for research related to the illness.
To learn more about requirements for the 2020 Travel Grant program, click here.
The submission due date for this program is June 1st, 2020. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to learn more about this rare retinal disease that is in dire need of improved treatments.
