“I will go blind,” Lack of doctors in Prince George could cost a man his vision

PRINCE GEORGE— Bill Henry was diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD)in 2019. wAMD is a chronic condition that causes blurred vision due to damage affecting the light sensitive tissue in the back of Bill’s eyes. To prevent the degeneration Bill receives an injection of Avastin into the eye which for him has been free but that price is at risk.

The only specialist in Prince George withdrew from the Provincial Retinal Disease Program, effective March 31,2024, citing an alleged 32% reduction in compensation to retinal specialists participating in the program. Now Bill is stuck either having to pay for the medication or find a new doctor which Bill says is equally unfeasable as the closest doctors are in Fort St. John and Kamloops.

“I’m already almost maxed out on what I can afford each month medically,” Bill told CKPG in reaction to the news. “I would have to find a way to go to Kamloops. I can’t drive 6 hours down there and accommodation and then drive back. So, it becomes more and more financially unfeasible for me.”