Being able to see clearly is vital for a child’s overall development and helps them discover and learn about their world, using visual prompts to enable their socialisation skills.

Most children have healthy eyes and do not need to wear glasses. But if there are problems unidentified at an early age, your child may have permanently reduced vision in one or both eyes. A sight test can identify conditions such as a lazy eye (amblyopia) or a squint (strabismus). Both can be successfully treated if detected early.

Up to 23% of parents have never taken their child for a sight test.

Recognising the signs early

It is essential for parents to recognise the signs of a child struggling to see clearly or experiencing vision changes. Research from The College of Optometrists shows that up to 23% of parents have never taken their child for a sight test. If problems go undetected, it could impact their development, school achievement, and daily life. Whether or not you suspect an issue with your child’s vision, it’s important to see an optometrist.

As part of each UK nation’s child health screening programme, children should undergo an eye check and be offered an eye screening at around age four to five. However, it is important to understand that these checks are not universal, and they are designed to identify healthy eyesight development and some—not all—conditions that affect the eyes. Eye screening is not a substitute for an eye examination by an optometrist. It is crucial to check if your child’s school has a screening programme in reception or year one. Book an eye exam with your local optometrist if you have noticed any of the following:

• Having one eye turn in or out
• Rubbing their eyes excessively
• Clumsiness and poor hand-eye coordination
• Avoiding reading, writing, or drawing
• Screwing up their eyes when they read or watch TV
• Holding books or objects close to their face
• Behavioural or concentration issues at school
• Blurred or double vision or unexplained headaches

Children with learning disabilities are more at risk and may be less able to communicate issues with their vision, so regular eye care with an optometrist is essential.

The impact of parents

It’s important to note that if a parent wears glasses for short-sightedness (myopia), their child is between three and nine times more likely to become short-sighted. This is most likely to develop between the ages of six and thirteen, so ensure they get regular eye examinations throughout primary school to detect and treat it when it first develops.

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A significant number of people have been unaware of the beneficial role an optometrist can have in visual and general health.

A recent survey¹ showed that only 27% of people in England would visit an optometrist in the first instance if they woke up with an eye problem compared to 42% in Wales, 45% in Northern Ireland, and 51% in Scotland. The good news is that awareness of their role is improving across the UK as more optometrists provide urgent eye care services. Wherever you are in the UK, your optometrist should be your first port of call for all eye health and vision problems.

What is an optometrist? 

An optometrist is a highly trained eye care professional who works in optical practices and hospital clinics, and may also come to your home or day centre. They test your sight and prescribe and dispense glasses, contact lenses and other visual aids. They also examine your eyes to identify eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration, some of which they can manage and treat, or refer you to other eye health professionals if necessary. They can also detect other serious health issues including high blood pressure and diabetes.

In addition to an initial degree, a minimum of a year in practice, and a final exam to qualify, many optometrists study for further qualifications. This allows them to prescribe medicines and specialise in different areas so they can manage patients with various eye conditions.

Even without eye health issues, it is still important to visit your optometrists.

What to do with eye health concerns 

For concerns about your vision or other eye symptoms, you should contact your local optometrist to advise if an appointment is necessary. Many practices across the UK offer NHS-funded urgent eye care services and will be able to offer a remote or face-to-face assessment depending on your symptoms. They can identify your eye condition and advise on treatment or refer you for further tests. This means that in most cases, your eye concerns can be managed locally and quickly without the need to visit your GP or hospital eye service.

How often should I visit my optometrist?

Even without eye health issues, it is still important to visit your optometrists for regular sight tests. A sight test is much more than checking your vision. It can also identify any issues you may have with eye health—and even general health—before you become aware of them. Most people should have their eyes examined at least every two years, depending on their clinical circumstances.  

[1] https://optical.org/media/gqfgdbmz/public-perceptions-report-2022.pdf

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Frances Baillie

Glaucoma patient

Over 700,000 people in the UK are living with glaucoma, yet half of them are unaware of it because the disease often has no symptoms.

Getting to know glaucoma

Glaucoma is the name of a group of eye diseases that damages the optic nerve. The optic nerve transfers visual information from the eye to the brain, and any damage to it can result in irreversible sight loss or blindness.

In many cases, the peripheral vision is lost first, but this often goes unnoticed because the central vision is still good. The brain is also clever at compensating for any gaps in vision by filling in the blanks without us realising. This means damage can be done, and significant vision is lost before anyone notices there is a problem.

Developing the disease

Anyone can develop glaucoma. Some people are at higher risk than others, including those with a family history of the disease and people of African-Caribbean origin who are four times more likely to develop glaucoma than people of European origin. The risk also increases as we get older, with one in 10 people aged 75 or over being affected.

For most, the only way to spot glaucoma is through an eye test. Eye tests aren’t just about checking whether you need glasses—they also look at eye health. As glaucoma can be asymptomatic, it’s important to have an eye test every two years, even if you have no sight issues.

Although any vision lost to glaucoma can’t be recovered, most people can retain useful sight for life, thanks to early diagnosis, regular monitoring, and treatment.

Meet Frances

Frances was diagnosed with glaucoma following a routine eye test.

“I was surprised when I was diagnosed with glaucoma because I had no idea there was anything wrong. I was lucky to be diagnosed and treated in the early stages because it’s meant that my glaucoma has had very little impact on my life—thankfully, my early diagnosis meant I started treatment before there was any noticeable damage to my sight. I would urge anyone to make an appointment for a check-up. That way, any issues can be dealt with at an early stage, and any sight loss can hopefully be prevented.”

Frances Baillie

Glaucoma patient

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Did you know that you can make sustainable choices when you next visit the opticians? Whether you are visiting for a sight test or looking for new frames, optical practices can offer you environmentally friendly choices.

We are all aware of the need to make sustainable choices and now there are many more eco-friendly options when looking for new eyewear. Many optical manufacturers have been working towards making spectacle frames in a more sustainable way.

Sustainable eyewear

Dispensing opticians can tell you about the raw materials involved in making your frames and how they are sourced. Some manufacturers now meet demanding sustainability certification requirements such as ISO9001 and FSC certifications for wood. More and more plastics used in frames are bio-acetates which are better for the environment, can be made without oil-based plasticisers and are biodegradable.

Packaging and cleaning go green

There have been changes in the packaging that frames are supplied in too, with manufacturers using recycled or biodegradable plastic or switching to light card boxes to deliver frames to the optician. You can now find cases made from sustainable materials such as recycled plastic bottles or eco-friendly cork. Cleaning your specs has become more sustainable, with refillable spray bottles of cleaning fluid available from some practices and cleaning cloths made from recycled plastic bottles too.

You can now find cases made from sustainable materials such as recycled plastic bottles or eco-friendly cork.

Update your old frames

We all know that it is good to reuse as well as recycle. If you have some old frames in good condition that you like, why not get their lenses updated at the same time as you buy a new pair, so you have your up-to-date prescription in both frames, whether you need a spare pair or like to alternate which ones you wear. It is now also possible to find vintage frames and have them glazed to your prescription. Ask the optician to see if the frame is in good condition before you do this as materials can become brittle with time.

Your next steps

As a consumer, you can make a difference too. In a recent research project on the carbon footprint of optical practices, transport was one of the key causes of greenhouse gas emissions, so why not see if you can walk or use public transport to get to your next appointment? If you would like more sustainable eyewear next time you go to the opticians, ask the dispensing optician to show you their sustainable ranges of frames.

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To mark the start of National Eye Health Week 20- 26 September, we should be looking at our lifestyle choices if we’re serious about eye health.

Ophthalmology is now the number one reason for hospital outpatient visits in England¹, whilst missed sight tests and cancelled hospital eye appointments during the pandemic will inevitably lead to a decline in the nation’s eye health.

Spending a couple of hours a day outdoors could help prevent your child becoming short-sighted.

Lifestyle counts

Regular eye tests – every two years, unless advised otherwise by your optometrist – are vital to keep eyes healthy and prevent avoidable sight loss; but what many of us don’t realise is that lifestyle can have a significant impact on eye health too.

Regardless of our genetic predisposition, diet, weight, activity levels, alcohol consumption and smoking status can all affect our chances of suffering chronic eye conditions, including the four main causes of sight loss – macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts.

Active eye care 

One recent study found being physically active can reduce the risk of visual impairment by 58% versus a sedentary lifestyle.²

Regular physical activity can lower intraocular ‘eye’ pressure (IOP) and help prevent and control conditions such as glaucoma and ocular hypertension.

Being active can also reduce the harmful overgrowth of blood vessels in the eyes which could cause and accelerate age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Research has also shown that people who engage in regular activities such as walking and cycling cut their risk of suffering age-related cataracts by up to 10%.³

Impact of smoking on eyes 

Toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke can damage the delicate surface and internal structure of the eye. Any amount of smoking, even occasional or second-hand, can affect eye health. More than one in four (27%) cases of AMD are directly attributable to smoking.⁴

Food for thought

Spending a couple of hours a day outdoors could help prevent your child becoming short-sighted. There are many other ways that lifestyle can benefit eye health from maintaining a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) to eating a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, fish and wholegrains.

[1] NHS Digital, Hospital Episode Statistics for England. Outpatient statistics, 2019 -20.
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4047137/
[3] medicalxpress.com/news/2020-06-cataract.html
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3866712/

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Receiving a diagnosis that might lead to sight loss can be a difficult time but getting the right information about your condition and how to live with it can improve your outlook.

Whether it comes suddenly or is part of a more gradual process connected to a longer-term health issue, it can be a life-changing moment.

You may be looking for answers for yourself, a friend or family member who has received a diagnosis. 

Many different aspects of life with sight loss are likely to be in your thoughts, whether its questions about your condition itself or what support is available to help you continue to work, socialise and travel independently.

Being better informed can help put you at the centre of the decision-making process when it comes to discussing treatments or being aware of what aids may be suitable for you.

Why is information important?

Information helps give you power. Being better informed can help put you at the centre of the decision-making process when it comes to discussing treatments or being aware of what aids may be suitable for you.

There are many sources of information available, but between friends, family and internet searches, a lot of what you discover can be contradictory. It can be difficult to know which information to trust, so this National Eye Health Week, make sure you get facts from a reliable source to enable you to take an active part in your care and any treatment. 

Starting out well

RNIB have a range of eye health booklets that are co-authored by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with an eye condition, the guides, available in a range of formats, cover information that can help you take an active role in managing your eye condition.One of the processes that many people can find daunting is getting their sight loss officially registered but navigating the process does not have to be the source of worry. The full process and other day to day sources of support are explained in the booklets.

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Every day, around 300 people are diagnosed with macular disease. It’s the biggest cause of sight loss in the UK.

There are many forms of macular disease, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), of which there are two types: dry and wet. AMD is the most common form of macular disease, but other forms affect much younger people – even children.

Living with macular disease can be lonely and isolating. But with the right support, people can cope very well. Local low vision clinics can help you find the combination of lighting, magnifiers and other tools that mean you can stay independent and continue doing the things you love. 

Telling other people how your sight loss affects you can help them understand the support you might need – even if it’s just putting things back where they belong so you can find them!

Friends, family or employers, no matter how well-meaning, don’t always understand how frightening it can be to know you’ll lose your sight. 

In the same boat

But friends, family or employers, no matter how well-meaning, don’t always understand how frightening it can be to know you’ll lose your sight. 

If you need extra support to help you understand or cope with your sight loss, you’re not alone. Our team of dedicated specialists are here for you, providing practical and emotional support to those who need it. 

Our counselling service offers free and confidential telephone sessions to help you overcome the worries and anxieties that macular disease can bring and cope with the emotional impact of living with sight loss. 

“Without the counselling service, I really don’t know how I would have got through those first couple of weeks after diagnosis. The counsellor kept me calm and positive every week and listened without judgement. I am very grateful to her and always will be.” (Katie, Macular Society member)

There are also Macular Society support groups all over the UK which are the perfect place to share experiences with other people in a similar situation. 

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Myopia is a relatively common condition among growing children, but if left uncorrected it can lead to potentially serious sight issues.

Myopia, sometimes called short-sightedness or near-sightedness, is a relatively common condition among growing children. It typically presents as blurred distance vision and if left uncorrected it can lead to potentially serious sight issues and in rare cases can even cause blindness. Other issues include the risk of retinal detachment, cataracts and an increased risk of glaucoma.

Optical expert Andy Sanders warns: “Myopia is also associated with an increased risk of retinal deterioration, where the seeing part of the eye becomes damaged because the eyeball is elongating.”

At present, myopia prevalence is currently believed to be about 25% worldwide but is forecast to reach 50% by 2050.

Myopia management

Mr Sanders, who is Professional Services Director for Hoya Lens (UK & Ireland), explains that there are several triggers for myopia, including some that still remain unclear. “One trigger we know that drives myopia is genetics,” he says. “If one parent is myopic, their child is three times more likely to become myopic and if both parents are myopic, it is six times more likely.”

While myopia is a condition that starts in childhood as their eyes grow, there are steps that can be taken to offset the impact of its progression.

Children spending more time outdoors where their eyes are focussing at longer distances may help in management of the condition. They should also take regular near work breaks, including screen breaks and ensure they have regular eye examinations.

Ultimately, glasses and or contact lenses would be required to correct the child’s vision. However, there are now treatment options available that can not only correct vision but they can help to slow down the myopia progression and reduce the associated risks.

Unique lens structure

HOYA has developed an innovative spectacle lens option, called MiYOSMART. Using cutting edge technology, that both corrects vision whilst simultaneously offering a treatment function to manage the myopia progression.

Mr Sanders says the unique lens structure – with a central area that gives full prescribed myopic correction and a honeycomb structure of ‘micro-lenslets’ in the treatment area – can slow the growth of the eyeball and provide clear vision. “All the technology is hidden as the lens looks like a standard single vision spectacle lens.

‘MiYOSMART’ is non-invasive, safe, easy to fit and effective in the management of myopia showing good acceptance and clinically proven to slow down myopia progression.”

In our view, nothing is more important than the health and well-being of your child. Now and into the future, you want to see your child thrive” he concludes.

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Daniel Hardiman-McCartney from the College of Optometrists answers common questions around poor eyesight.

What are some of the causes of poor eyesight?

Poor eyesight can be caused by a range of conditions and factors. For example, cataracts have many causes. Most people start to develop cataracts after the age of 65, but some people in their 40s and 50s can also develop them. 

Some medical conditions such as diabetes or taking medication, such as steroids, may also cause cataracts. Smokers are more likely to develop cataracts than non-smokers and there may be a link between UV rays and cataracts. A very small number of babies are born with a cataract.

Another example is short sightedness, also known as myopia. The condition usually starts during primary school years and tends to worsen until the eye has stopped growing. Myopia can also develop in very young children. Adults may also become short-sighted. You are more likely to become short-sighted if your parents are too.

What impact does poor eyesight have on life?

Poor eyesight can have an impact on every aspect of your life. Recent research conducted by the College showed that 21% of people struggle with everyday tasks due to problems with their eyesight, some of those struggles may be correctable. The same survey showed that 31% of adults in the UK noticed their vision get worse since the COVID-19 pandemic induced lockdowns. Your optometrist can help ensure you have the appropriate eyewear and check the overall health of your eye. 

Recent research conducted by the College showed that 21% of people struggle with everyday tasks due to problems with their eyesight.

What can people do if they are concerned about their sight?

It is very important that if you feel your vision has deteriorated or if you are experiencing any problems with your eyes that you should contact your local optometrist. 

We estimate around 30% of people postponed their eye care during the pandemic. At earlier stages in the pandemic, we know that many people were concerned about the safety of visiting an optometrist. Please be assured that optometrists are open and are safe to visit. 

Do you have any tips for avoiding eyestrain?

1. Practice the 20-20-20 rule. To give your eye muscles a rest every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away, for 20 seconds. 
2. Blink regularly.
3. Have your screen below eye level and between 40 to 75cm away.
4. Make your text size bigger to make it more comfortable to read.
5. Use lubricating drop if your eyes get dry. 

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Figures reveal that nearly 1.5 million people in the UK are affected by macular disease, the nation’s biggest cause of sight loss.

It is all too easy to take good vision for granted. As we grow older our eye health can become under increasing pressure and in particular the macula.

Layers of protection

Lutein and zeaxanthin are important nutrient that the body naturally deposits in the macula, to create a protective layer known as macular pigment. Lutein and zeaxanthin are powerful antioxidants that work like internal sunglasses, protecting the macula from the damaging effects of blue light and oxidative stress.

What is age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive eye disease that affects the macula. It is responsible for central vision and allows you to see detail. It does not cause total blindness, but it makes everyday tasks such as reading, watching TV, driving or using computers more difficult. Research reveals that people as young as 37 years of age are being diagnosed with AMD.

There is no cure for AMD. While there is medical treatment for wet AMD, there is currently none for dry AMD.

The macula pigment comprises of three carotenoids, lutein, meso-zeaxanthin and zeaxanthin. The body does not produce lutein and zeaxanthin. The macular pigment can therefore become severely depleted in those with a poor diet lacking in the right foods. Hence, why it could be advantageous to use supplementations to help assist.

Treatment for AMD

Experts recommend early diagnosis to help manage the disease. There is no cure for AMD. While there is medical treatment for wet AMD, there is currently none for dry AMD. However, experts recommend taking eye health supplements.

MACU-SAVE is a supplement which contains all three macular carotenoids which are essential for macular health.

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