A new report commissioned by Eye Health UK and the Thomas Pocklington Trust to mark National Eye Health Week 19-25 September highlights eye health inequalities and a lack of public knowledge about the range of services on offer in High Street optical practices.
The Eye Q report found most people would rate the quality of their vision as ‘Fair’ (47 per cent) when asked to rank their eye health on a scale from Excellent, Very Good, Fair, Poor to Very Poor. Those rating their vision as Poor or Very Poor were most likely to be older, from lower socio-economic groups or ethnic minorities.
People from ethnic minorities were twice as likely to rate their vision as Poor/Very poor compared to the UK average; whilst people with a household income of less than £14,000 per annum were five times more likely to say their vision was Poor/Very poor versus someone a household income over £83,000. One in five (21 per cent) people aged 18-24 years rated their vision as Excellent compared to three per cent of over 65s.
The report also found more than 17.5million people hadn’t had an eye examination in the last two years, as recommended. Men and minority ethnic groups were most likely to skip routine check-ups.
The pandemic was not cited as a key reason for poor uptake. Fears about the cost of eyecare was the number one reason given for not having had an eye test (36 per cent), followed by the misnomer that ‘if your eyes are fine you don’t need to have an eye test’ (26 per cent).
Eighteen per cent of people with sight loss who have not had a recent eye exam hadn’t had one because they believed their hospital consultant was already monitoring their general eye health, the report revealed. Additionally, one in 10 over 65s weren’t aware they were entitled to NHS eye exams, despite them being free on the NHS for over 60s since April 1999.
Scotland extended this free service to its entire population in 2006, yet a quarter of Scots (26 per cent) didn’t know they were entitled to a free NHS sight test.
Only around a third of people were aware of emergency eyecare services (36 per cent), or NHS appointments for minor eye conditions (35 pert cent). One in three survey respondents did not know that they could visit their local practice for spectacle repairs.
Commenting on the re Eye Health Uk chairman David Cartwright said: “The Eye Q report highlights a significant need to improve eye health equalities and for the generic promotion of eyecare services that people can access on their High Street. Improving public awareness of the community eyecare offering will help improve the nation’s eye health and prevent avoidable sight loss.”
Mike Bell, head of public affairs and campaigns at the Thomas Pocklington Trust, added: “The Eye Q report has revealed how little knowledge there is about the importance of eye health, including amongst people already living with some form of sight loss. Looking after your eyes is just as important as looking after the rest of your body. Regular eye health checks can help prevent or limit the damage done by many eye conditions. They can also help identify the signs of other health conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure. The message is clear, get regular eye health checks and never ignore changes in your vision.”
For a full copy of the Eye Q report, contact info@visionmatters.org.uk