Cost of living compromising eyesight

TO save money, the nation is opting for blurry vision.

New research has found that South Africans are compromising their eyesight due to the rising cost of living.

Market researcher EuroMonitor said the country’s uncertain economic situation and declining disposable incomes had a negative impact on sales of spectacles.

“On the one hand, increasing numbers of new users of corrective eyewear are opting for spectacles over contact lenses as spectacles are relatively cheap over the long term, especially when the cumulative cost of purchasing contact lenses is taken into consideration,” EuroMonitor said in its latest report.

“On the other hand, many existing wearers of corrective eyewear are holding on to their existing spectacles and choosing not to replace frames and lenses even when they are due for a new prescription with higher-strength lenses due to the cost of purchasing new lenses.”

The Department of Health said most cases of blindness were avoidable through proper eye care.

“Seventy-five percent of all cases of blindness are avoidable either through prevention or through treatment, which is why it is important to get your eyes tested at least once a year,” the department’s website says. The department is raising awareness of eye health as the country commemorates Eye Care Awareness Month.

The South African Optometric Association said thousands of South Africans were needlessly visually impaired due to affordability, accessibility and ignorance.

The association’s chief executive, Harry Rosen, said the consequences of not visiting an eye-care specialist regularly ranged from mild to serious.

“The problem with not getting your eyes tested regularly is that there may be this underlying condition called glaucoma, which could result in blindness.”

He said changes in vision could have a major effect on driving.