Great past, greater future

Sight Research UK is the new name of the National Eye Research Centre.

(Please note that our Registered Charity Number has remained the same: 1156134, and you can see information for existing supporters at the bottom of this page).

Why we have changed

In 2021, the National Eye Research Centre would mark its 35^th anniversary, and this upcoming milestone spurred us to review our past impact and reframe our goals for an even greater future. 

As a result of our consultation with supporters, researchers, and other stakeholders we have decided to make some important changes to help us make the most of our donor's gifts and advance progress even more. 

We have changed the way we fund research

Our donors trust us to spend their money to achieve the outcome they hope for the most – bringing forward an end to sight loss and blindness. So, in the future, we will invest in research that is as close as possible to making a tangible difference to patients.

You can read about our new research strategy Every patient matters: turning science into sight which outlines how the projects we will fund on your behalf will help to make that crucially important leap from discoveries in the laboratory to potential new treatments in the clinic.

We have changed our name to Sight Research UK

Among our long standing donors, naturally, there was much affection for the charity's name and its history. However, when we consulted with the UK public, we found that almost 80% of people perceived the National Eye Research Centre to be either an academic department or a government funded institute – so not a charity to donate to.

We concluded that we needed to adopt a name that would more clearly describe who we are and what we do. 

We are hugely grateful to all our supporters who took part in our consultation in the autumn of 2020. When we asked, most responders opted for Sight Research UK. This name also resonated most positively with the general public as a charity that funds research into eye conditions.

We have rebranded for free

As a charity funded entirely by the generosity of our supporters, we have always ensured that we spend our donors' money - your money - wisely and prudently on what you most care about: bringing forward an end to sight loss and blindness.

Which is why we are delighted to let you know that the new brand to accompany our new research strategy and name has not cost the charity anything at all.

Our small team of three staff works hard every day to ensure that the charity is well run and that it maximises the amount we spend on research.

We love our new logo, which one of our supporters has described as a joyful ray of hope!

We wanted to represent, through the circle of the iris, a community of donors, researchers, healthcare professionals, patients, and anyone who has an interest in eye health, coming together with a common purpose.

We hope you like it, and that you can recognise yourself in it. Whatever your role, thank you so much for your support, and we look forward to the next leg of our journey together. 

If you are joining us today as a Sight Research UK brand new supporter, a very warm welcome to you! We hope you will enjoy playing your part in making our vision a reality: a day when sight loss and blindness are a thing of the past. Thank you.

If you have any questions, please do get in touch. 

We are always happy to help. 

You can phone us on 0117 325 7757 or email hello@sightresearchuk.org.