We owe our origins to a journalist from The Observer who, in 1993, was investigating the possibility that Microphthalmia, Anophthalmia, and Coloboma, were caused by pesticides (scientific proof of this has not been found). Through his research, he brought together a group of parents and MACS was born.
The parents of these MACS children had little or no access to information or support and most had never met another family whose child was affected - a lonely and overwhelming situation for any parent.
A year later, MACS became a charity and we have not looked back! Thanks to the many dedicated parents who have volunteered their time and energy over the years, MACS is now a key source of information and support for hundreds of families across the UK and worldwide.
All of the charity’s Trustees are parents of a MACS child, or directly affected by the conditions. As such, they have a clear insight into how our members can be helped to cope with life as blind or partially sighted people.