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  Going to the opticians

  A Survey of Optometrists shows two thirds have seen an increase in the number of younger patients presenting symptoms of eye conditions

• Almost half are concerned that people will start losing their sight, or suffering from conditions such as glaucoma and cataracts at a younger age
• Increased use of screens is considered one of the major reasons for deterioration in eye health
• Consumer survey shows one in 10 people would only have an eye test if they were experiencing problems
• Around 45% wouldn’t get their eyes tested if they were struggling to read road signs and one in ten have even got behind the wheel of a car with blurred vision.

The number of young people who are being diagnosed with serious eye conditions is thought to be growing, according to a survey of Optometrists released today. The study saw two thirds of Optometrists say they have seen an increase in conditions such as Dry Eye disease and Blepharitis, while almost half are concerned that people will start losing their sight or suffering from conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts and age-related macular degeneration at a younger age. The Optometrists surveyed say the increased use of screens in our daily lives is one of the major factors in the deterioration of the nation’s eye health (63%).

Also the increasing prevalence of diabetes in the UK (72%), poor diets (70%), smoking (74%), not wearing sunglasses (75%) and not following a proper hygiene routine for contact lenses (62%) all contribute to the worsening of our eyes.

Three quarters of Optometrists say that they are concerned generally about the eye health of their patients, while more than 90% say they don’t think people take their eye health seriously or look after their eyes as much as they should.

Furthermore, consumer research also released today by Spectrum Thea shows one in 10 people would only have an eye test if they are experiencing problems, with less than half saying they would get checked out if they had blurred vision from screen-time, while a third wouldn’t even if they were unable to read small print.

Worryingly, for road users, around 45% wouldn’t get their eyes tested if they were struggling to read road signs from a distance and one in 10 have even sat behind the wheel of a car with blurred vision. Watch the following video for more details of the report.

Readers may also be interested in our recent blog post to celebrate National Eye Exam Month which gave five great reasons to have an eye test.