There was a very critical letter about the eye hospital published last week.

I have nothing but praise for the eye hospital.

My mother (who was in her 90s) was diagnosed with age related wet macular degeneration. From the moment we took her to A&E at the eye hospital we had nothing but excellent care.

The treatment for wet macular degeneration is injections into the eye about every six weeks so we had many visits to the eye unit until her death.

The injections stop further deterioration in sight and in some people can even improve it.

The waiting room at the hospital was always full, including many frail and elderly people.

Presumably until these injections were available, they would have all become functionally blind with all the difficulties that would have involved for themselves, their families and their carers.

But treating large numbers of people every six weeks must put a huge strain on the unit.

As we all know the NHS has been underfunded for years and is also under-staffed. The staff in the eye unit do a great job under difficult circumstances and in their spare time some have even taken part in charity events (like abseiling down the Spinnaker Tower) to raise money to buy essential equipment which would not be necessary if the NHS were properly funded.

Sometimes my mother and I had to wait for a while in the waiting room, but we were happy to do so in the knowledge that this was a sight-saving treatment.

I should also add that my mother (like many others attending the eye unit) had other serious medical conditions which sometimes meant that we had to cancel an appointment for an injection because she was unwell.

The reception staff at the eye hospital were unfailingly understanding and helpful and were always willing to make another appointment for her.

As a family we didn't know much about wet macular degeneration until my mother got it.

Unlike dry macular degeneration which develops gradually, wet macular degeneration can develop quickly.

If you are caring for an elderly friend or relative and their vision suddenly gets worse, do take them as soon as possible to an optician or doctor.

If it is wet macular degeneration, the injections may stop their vision deteriorating further.

Let us all be thankful that we have such a good eye hospital in Southampton.

Gill Mulley

Durley