More than 2700 people across Lanarkshire are living with sight loss, according to latest figures shared by an optician to mark national eye health week.
Staff at Specsavers branches in Wishaw and Hamilton are raising awareness of the dangers of ignoring telltale signs of eye conditions which can lead to sight loss.
They highlighted statistics indicating that 1440 residents in South Lanarkshire and 1300 in North Lanarkshire are living with sight loss – with research from the Royal National Institute for Blind People (RNIB) showing that the respective numbers are set to rise to 12,700 and 11,500 by 2032.
Specsavers are highlighting the importance of eye care and two-yearly sight tests as part of the current national eye health week, which runs until September 29.
They say that RNIB figures show one in five people will experience sight loss in their lifetime and that every day 250 people start to lose their sight; with conditions that can cause sight loss including age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.
Specsavers Wishaw store director Laura Baird and Hamilton counterpart George Kelly say: “A large percentage of sight loss could be avoided if people have their eyes checked regularly.
“Prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of common eye conditions are key to reducing the number of people suffering sight loss unnecessarily.
“Yet despite sight being the sense that most people are concerned about losing, many people don’t actually have their eyes checked every two years.
“Regular eye-health checks are important in preventing sight loss. They are essential for everyone, even if you think your eyes are fine, because damage can be done before you notice it.“
The opticians emphasised: “In addition to not smoking, eating a healthy diet and staying active, we would urge everyone to have an eye test every two years.
“For example, an eye test can spot glaucoma years before people notice a change in their vision, and it can be treated if found soon enough.
“In addition to eye health, a sight test can detect other health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol, risk of stroke and heart disease.“
Eye health can also be affected by the overuse of electronic screens – fatigue won’t permanently damage a person’s eyes, but can make symptoms of existing eye conditions such as short-sightedness more pronounced.
Laura and George added: “Overuse of screens without a break can result in dry eyes, tired eyes and even blurred vision.
“We should all give our eyes a rest by following the 20-20-20 rule – looking away from the screen for 20 seconds every 20 minutes and focusing on something 20 feet away.
“It’s also advisable to break up screen time by spending time outdoors, enabling us to focus on things further away.
Following these rules and having our eyes tested every two years will significantly reduce the occurrence of sight loss in our communities.”
More advice and eye test bookings are available at each store’s page online or by calling 01698 354260 (Wishaw) and 01698 891565 (Hamilton).
*Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook? Head on over and give us a like and share!