SPECSAVERS in Winsford is warning people of the importance of regular eye tests following the publication of a new report that claims the UK’s eye health crisis is set to deepen.

The State Of The Nation Eye Health 2017: A Year in Review was published by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and Specsavers and coincides with National Eye Health Week, which runs from September 18 to 24.

The new statistics show that one in five people will live with sight loss in their lifetime despite at least half of all cases being avoidable.

Almost six million people in the UK currently live with sight-threatening conditions yet 25 per cent of people are not having an eye test every two years, as recommended by the College of Optometrists.

The report is an annual benchmark of Britain’s eye health by RNIB and Specsavers, who joined forces in 2016 to raise awareness of the importance of eye health to help prevent avoidable sight loss.

While a YouGov survey commissioned for the report suggests 1.1 million more people took action to improve their eye health by visiting an optician since the campaign launched last September, there is much still to be done, according to Specsavers Winsford director Peter Adshead

Peter said: “It’s astonishing that so many people are needlessly living with or at risk of sight loss in the UK today.

“Half of all sight loss cases are preventable – and a simple eye test can be the first step in prevention.

“Our mission together with RNIB is to transform the nation’s eye health through education, awareness and action; we want to reverse these worrying eye health trends that are putting unnecessary pressure on the health service and placing a massive burden on the public purse.”

Sally Harvey, RNIB acting chief executive, said: “Our report reveals new evidence that one in five people will live with sight loss in their lifetime, so our work is now more important than ever.

“The eye health crisis looks set to deepen and the cost burden is destined to soar unless urgent action is taken.

‘We will continue to press for integrated services and effective referral and treatment for local communities as a key way of tackling the capacity problems in hospital eye departments.

“We will champion active planning that is based on the eye health needs of local communities and we will present conclusions from our policy roundtables to a parliamentary Inquiry on eye health services.”