Member Article

York residents putting their sight at risk

Dunnington local encourages others to ’make time for eye health’ as Vision Express’ Vision Van stops in Parliament Street for World Glaucoma Week

A 51-year-old from Dunnington was one of 75% of local residents tested on board the Vision Van in York found to be putting their sight at risk – as a result of a free eye test drive that hit the city this week for World Glaucoma Week (12–18 March 2017).

Three quarters of visitors who took advantage of a free eye test on Vision Express’ high-tech mobile eye testing unit admitted to not having their eyes checked regularly, including two people who had never had a sight check. The Vision Van stopped in Parliament Street, York for one day only as part of a UK tour to raise awareness of glaucoma, after the city was identified as having an increased prevalence of the silent sight-threatening condition.

Colin Jackson was overdue an eye test by over a year and was found to need a new prescription. He says: “I’ve been meaning to get my eyes checked for months, if not years, so when I saw the Vision Van in the middle of the street the opportunity to get an eye test straight away was great. I knew my eyesight was deteriorating, though not significantly, and my eye test has confirmed that to be the case.

“I’ve been relying on magnifiers and they kind of work for me but the eye test has shown one of my eyes is weaker than the other, so there is maybe something else I need to do.”

Following his eye test, Colin visited the Vision Express York store to choose his first pair of prescription reading glasses.

“I’m very glad I came on the van today,” he adds. “I think it’s a really nice service and it’s been a fantastic experience. We all know why we’re putting off having eye tests – it takes time - but I would say, make sure you make time for your eye health.”

York is one of five cities targeted in Vision Express’ World Glaucoma Week 2017 campaign, as Public Health Outcomes Framework Data figures show that the rate of sight loss due to glaucoma is higher in York than the national average (14.3% in comparison to the national average of 12.8%). Plus, 47% of York residents are aged over 40 – one of the ‘at-risk’ groups associated with glaucoma - in Yorkshire and the Humber, this increases to half of the county’s 5.4 million population.

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 York, helping to educate visitors on glaucoma, while demonstrating the aids available to people who need to apply daily eye drops.

David, from Leeds, explains: “With Vision Express, we hope we’ve encouraged people in York 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 .