Member Article

Charity ambassador battling rare Stargardt disease joins local MP to officially open new Birmingham optical stores

Vision Express calls on community to prioritise sight, amid reports that over 33,000 local residents are at risk of macular disease.

Seven new ‘Vision Express at Tesco’ stores across Birmingham have officially opened their doors as the national optical retailer calls on local people to protect their eyes from sight-stealing conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Stores in Walsall, Sutton Coldfield, West Bromwich, Dudley, Stourbridge and Yardley, have seen optical teams and their special guests, which have included local MP for Dudley North Ian Austin and Macular Society regional manager Amanda Read, perform a ribbon cutting to open the new premises.

Amanda has been involved with the Macular Society for almost 15 years, becoming a regional manager just over four years ago. She decided to work with the charity after it supported her when she was diagnosed with the rare disease, Stargardt Macular Dystrophy in 2004, when she was 23 years old. There is currently no treatment and she is now visually impaired in both eyes.

“At the Macular Society we always recommend having regular eye tests,” Angela advises. “They could pick up age-related conditions before you might notice any symptoms – people often don’t know they have a macula until something goes wrong, by which time it’s often too late to treat.”

The new Vision Express stores are home to sophisticated sight screening equipment that will deliver a thorough eye health service to local residents, as figures indicate over 7,300 Birmingham residents are suffering from AMD and almost 33,000 have a heightened risk of developing the condition.

MP Ian Austin said: “Eye health is a growing issue and I would encourage everyone to have regular eye tests and take their vision seriously. I’m proud to support this event and raise awareness amongst my constituents.”

Craig Lewis, Vision Express at Tesco Dudley store manager, added: “It’s fantastic to officially open our new store and we look forward to welcoming new and existing customers through our doors.

“With the local population at risk of eye-health related conditions including age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma, we’re here to help residents ensure their vision is the best it can be. We have over 100 ways to test your eyes, to assess how they’re working and help detect serious conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and increased risk of stroke. It’s great that Vision Express is now in such a convenient location for local residents to drop in and get this essential health check.”

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