World Sight Day Puts Vision into Focus

With World Sight Day upon us (Thursday 11 October), Specsavers is using the annual awareness day to remind people in Scotland of the importance of eye health and regular sight checks.

With an aging population and a record number of older people in employment, it is vital that Scots make their eye health a priority so they can continue to do the things they enjoy – whether work or play – beyond retirement.

Official figures show there are more than 83,000 people over the age of 65 working in Scotland, with a further 23,000 expected to be in employment by 2030 , as people continue to live longer and healthier lives.

Currently, more than 20,000 people in this group are not getting their eyes tested regularly, making them more susceptible to glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts, which could have an impact on their life and work.

In response to these statistics, Specsavers wants to inspire and educate the nation on why we should go for regular eye exams, as many of us could develop an eye condition that could significantly impact our lives and daily activities.

To ensure the eye health message is communicated to the entire country, Specsavers has teamed up with long-term partner and sight loss charity, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), to urge Scotland’s ageing workforce to take their eye health seriously.

Jamie Buchan, director of Specsavers in Arbroath, says: ‘It is so important that people across Scotland look after their eyes and have regular sight tests for the detection of eye conditions. Our eyes are so important for our jobs and early detection means we can manage and do something about these conditions so that people can keep their jobs.’

Research shows there are already more than 10,960 people with preventable sight loss conditions of AMD, cataract, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy in Angus and as the figures show this is a number which is expected to climb.

That is why Specsavers in Scotland is in the process of investing more than £360,000 through providing Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) – hospital grade eye testing scanners – and personnel training to commit themselves to improving the vision of residents across the country and to tackle the growing problem which comes with our ageing population.

Jamie continued: ‘I expect many people in Scotland know that they should have regular eye tests but our lives are so busy with work and family that it’s not surprising how making an appointment at your opticians can slip.

‘If you want to avoid unnecessary sight loss as you get older, and continue working and going about your everyday without barriers, then you need to make that very important appointment with your optometrist once every two years.’

In Scotland, sight checks are completely free through the NHS. And with an optician on every high street in the UK, including 74 Specsavers stores in Scotland, there’s really no excuse to neglect our eye health.

For more information on your nearest store visit www.specsavers.com.