There is predicted to be an increase in over a million new cases of sight threatening eye disease cases over the next decade. That’s according to new findings which have been released by a leading charity who warn that the state of the country’s eye health has reached crisis point. If we look at the data as a whole, it equates to one new case every three minutes. The study which was carried out by Eye Health UK was released in time for National Eye Health Week which took place last week from the 22nd to the 28th March. The data used was collected in collaboration with York Health Economics Consortium and aimed to predict future cases of the four most common causes of sight loss. This includes cataract, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease.

Other methods of looking at trends in the UK’s eye health have now forecast that there will be a 24% increase in the number of people suffering from age related macular degeneration which is the UK’s leading cause of blindness. There has also been forecast to be a 13% surge in the number of people suffering from glaucoma.

David Cartwright chair of Eye Health UK warns: “Urgent steps to tackle poor eye health, including greater uptake of sight tests and prevention strategies, are needed to avoid people suffering unnecessary and irrecoverable vision impairment. The good news though is half of all sight loss could be prevented with lifestyle changes, early detection, and timely treatment.”

Two fifths of the UK’s population have failed to have their eyes tested every two years which is recommended by leading health authorities such as the National Health Service etc. Many of these cases have been linked to people living in socio-economic deprivation and have put off going to attend eye tests due to worries about the cost of glasses or until they feel they are suffering from symptoms which are causing concern. They may not be aware that if they realise it is causing concern, it may be too late to find any appropriate care or treatment for their condition and they need to nip it in the bud as soon as possible.

This behaviour prevents early detection of eye disease and timely referral for sight-saving treatment.

Despite more than 30 million people being entitled to free NHS sight tests , and NHS optical vouchers being available to help with the cost of eyewear for those on low incomes, children and for people with complex prescriptions; a lack of awareness of these benefits perpetuates barriers to people attending routine eye checks and increases the risk of avoidable sight loss.

Over half of people on low incomes can sometimes be unaware that they may be eligible for free sight tests and fewer still are aware that the NHS can provide support towards the cost of any eyewear which may be needed.

Responding to the research, David Cartwright chair of Eye Health UK comments: “Educating people about their entitlement to help with eye care costs is vital to improve uptake of routine sight tests and mitigate the rising prevalence of sight-threatening eye disease, that’s being driven by an ageing and unhealthy population.”

Conditions like macular degeneration can be detected early during routine eye tests, saving sight and reducing the economic burden of vision impairment – the lifetime cost of a new case of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in an adult aged 50 or over, causing at least moderate visual impairment, is £73,350.

Referral for medical treatment and adopting healthy lifestyle habits can halt or slow the progression of AMD.

Important lifestyle changes for AMD patients and those at risk of the disease include eating a healthy diet rich in fruits, leafy green vegetables, and omega-3 fatty acids; exercising regularly; quitting smoking; maintaining a healthy weight and protecting their eyes from the sun’s damaging UV.

To help people assess their chances of suffering future eye disease and understand how they can reduce the risks, the charity has created an eye health calculator which can be found on the vision matters website:

http://visionmatters.org.uk/looking-after-your-eyes/eye-health-calculator