Member Article

Eye health initiative targets Manchester

Manchester resident referred for suspected glaucoma as free eye test initiative targets the city

86% of those tested on the Vision Express Vision Van at the Trafford Centre found to need new prescriptions during World Glaucoma Week 2017

A 58-year-old Urmston resident who was advised to seek further medical attention after suspected glaucoma was detected is urging others to look after their eye health – as over 25% of Vision Van visitors admit to never having had an eye test.

Sue Mullally, who works at Intu Trafford Centre, was referred to her GP after taking advantage of a free eye test on the Vision Express Vision Van. The high-tech mobile testing unit was at the shopping centre for one day only as part of a UK tour to mark World Glaucoma Week (12–18 March 2017), after Manchester was identified as having an increased prevalence of the silent sight-threatening condition.

Sue, who has no family history of glaucoma, says: “If I hadn’t have come to the van today I wouldn’t have been referred to my GP for my eyes to be investigated further.

“If I lost my sight, I wouldn’t be able to see my grandson or my lovely dogs. I go out walking with them so I’ve got to be able to drive to places to walk. If I couldn’t see them it would dramatically change my life.

“Don’t put off having an eye test. You only get one set of eyes so you need to look after them. With one quick, simple and painless check you can find out a lot about your overall health.”

Vision Express optometrist Zaira Ayub, who saw Sue and spotted signs of narrow angle glaucoma, explains: “We referred Sue because when we checked her eye health under the microscope, the angle where the cornea and the iris meet was looking slightly shallower than the national average, which could potentially put her at risk of having glaucoma.

“We’ll see Sue again in a year for her next eye test but she’ll be seen by a referral clinic sooner than that who will be able to investigate her eyes further.”

Manchester was chosen as the first stop on the Vision Van route, as Public Health Outcomes Framework Data figures show that the rate of sight loss due to glaucoma is higher in the city than the national average (17.6% in comparison to the national average of 12.8%). Plus, 34% of Manchester residents are aged over 40– one of the ‘at-risk’ groups associated with glaucoma. In Greater Manchester, this demographic increases to almost half (46%) of the county’s 2.75 million population.

Out of those tested on board the Vision Van, 86% were found to need new prescriptions, with more than one in four visitors admitting to never having had an eye test.

Sarah Clark, who works alongside Sue at the Trafford Centre, was one of those to be given a new prescription. She says: “I heard it was World Glaucoma Week and I know early detection is really important.

“I also knew my glasses needed changing because my eyes have deteriorated since my last eye test, which I think was more than two years ago.”

Following her visit to the van, the Cheadle resident was also advised to maintain annual testing after a degeneration was picked up in her peripheral vision. “It’s something that’s never been spotted before,” she explains. “I need to get my eyes checked every year rather than every two years, just to keep an eye on it.”

Zaira adds: “You never know what’s going on in the back of your eyes. You can’t see it and you can’t feel it, so it’s definitely worth having a check.”

One of the biggest causes of preventable sight loss worldwide, glaucoma is the name given to a group of eye conditions in which the main nerve to the eye (the optic nerve) is damaged where it leaves the eye. This nerve carries information about what is being seen from the eye to the brain and, as it becomes damaged, vision is lost. There are an estimated 600,000 people with glaucoma in the UK, but research[3] indicates half of those are undiagnosed.

David Harris from the International Glaucoma Association (IGA) joined the Vision Van in Manchester, helping to educate visitors on glaucoma, while demonstrating the aids available to people who need to apply daily eye drops.

He explains: “With Vision Express, we hope we’ve encouraged people in Greater Manchester to have that regular eye test to ensure if they do have the condition that it is detected early and treated, particularly as the majority of individuals who are diagnosed early will retain useful sight for life.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Vision Express .