Because of the rare incidence of some eye diseases, there is often little known about the conditions, their causes and treatment.

The Eye Foundation funds a vital research project called The Australian and New Zealand Ophthalmic (Rare Diseases) Surveillance Unit. Researchers are collecting information at a national level about cases of rare eye diseases. This information creates a critically important resource for the management of these diseases, about many of which little is currently known.

Some examples of rare eye diseases include:

• acanthamoeba keratitis (amoebic eye infection)
• retinopathy of prematurity (vision loss in premature babies)
• ophthalmic trauma (injury causing the eye to fill with blood)
• rare complications of surgery such as endophthalmitis (infection)
• sympathetic ophthalmia (inflammation in the un-operated eye)

You can find out more about The Australian and New Zealand Ophthalmic (Rare Diseases) Surveillance Unit here.