“It’s time we all took more care of our eyes ….”

I today took part in a quiz from RNIB to raise awareness amongst election candidates of the leading causes of sight loss. Questions also ask who can get free eye tests and how many of us are already living with sight problems.

Six million older people at risk of blindness

There are around 1.8 million people in the UK already living with sight loss, with around 2700 in [name of constituency]. RNIB’s quiz revealed that pensioners are most at risk of losing their sight, in fact two-thirds of partially sighted people are aged 75 or over. Yet, six million older people in the UK (47 per cent) are needlessly risking their sight by not having their eyes tested regularly, despite being eligible for free eye tests.

Saving sight

I was also shocked to learn that nearly 50 per cent of all sight loss is avoidable. This includes people with refractive error – that is people in need of a correct prescription for glasses or contact lenses – and people who have lost sight through conditions that could have been treated if detected early enough, such as glaucoma.

Sight is the sense we most fear losing, so why are so many of us are potentially putting it at risk through not having regular sight tests? There needs to be a greater public understanding that a sight test isn’t just about whether you need glasses, it can also detect signs of eye disease. It’s time we all took eye health and sight loss seriously.

RNIB recommends that everyone should get their eyes tested every two years, or more frequently if recommended by an optometrist. You can see more about their work here at www.rnib.org.uk