New health maps highlight areas of UK at greatest risk of sight loss
The initial findings of a new report[1] commissioned by National Eye Health Week in conjunction with Vision Express reveals pockets of the UK – including Leicester, Gateshead, Liverpool, Merthyr Tydfil, Stoke-on-Trent, Grampian and the London Boroughs of Newham and Waltham Forest – at greatest risk of avoidable sight loss.
Today almost two million people in the UK are living with sight loss and forecasters predict a further half a million could lose their sight by the year 2020[2]. Yet, the RNIB estimates as much as half of all sight loss is avoidable.
The poor lifestyle habits and ineffective health behaviours of people in each of the at risk ‘hotspots’ indentified in the Mapping the UK’s Eye Health Report, are putting residents’ eye health and vision in danger.
Francesca Marchetti, Chair of National Eye Health Week explains: “Prevention and early diagnosis of common eye conditions are key to reducing the number of people who suffer sight loss unnecessarily. However, in areas like Leicester and Gateshead we are seeing a worrying number of people failing to take up their entitlement to free NHS sight tests and higher than average levels of smoking and obesity – two lifestyle factors linked to sight loss.”
Poor uptake of regular sight tests is probably the biggest risk to the nation’s eye health. According to the Eyecare Trust 20 million of us fail to have our eyes checked once every two years, as recommended, and one in 10 of us have never had an eye examination.
In Newham, eligible residents[3] are 30% more likely to miss out on free NHS sight tests than the national average and almost a third (32.4%) of residents smoke. The link between smoking and AMD, the UK’s leading cause of blindness, is as stong as the link between smoking and lung cancer. In fact, smokers have four times the risk of suffering AMD than past or non-smokers.
In addition to smoking and obesity other lifestyle factors that can affect the health of your eyes include your diet, exercise regime – or lack of it – and inadequate UV protection.
Omar Hassan, Head of Professional Services at Vision Express comments: “Poor lifestyle choices are taking their toll and we’re seeing younger people increasingly suffering vision problems associated with obesity and smoking. Your diet also affects your eye health so it’s important to ensure you eat a balanced diet full of eye-friendly nutrients. Nutritional supplements may be beneficial for some people, especially in areas where consumption of fruits and vegetables are low.”
Fig 1. Health behaviours of residents in key at risk locations.[4]
|
Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)/Health Board
|
Total number of NHS sight tests for the year to March 2013 |
Eat less than 2 portions of fruit/vegetables per day (%)
|
Current smoker (%)
|
Heavy smoker - more than 20 cigarettes per day (%)
|
BMI over 30 (%)
|
Taken no exercise in last month (%)
|
|
NHS Newham
|
48,189 |
28.2
|
32.4
|
26.9
|
53.9
|
|
|
NHS Waltham Forest
|
42,325 |
26.5
|
29.3
|
7.4
|
26.1
|
51.1
|
|
NHS Leicester City
|
95,142 |
25.6
|
26.9
|
7.0
|
25.3
|
53.6
|
|
NHS Gateshead
|
46,820 |
26.8
|
27.5
|
7.6
|
27.1
|
55.3
|
|
NHS Liverpool
|
96269 |
26.3
|
29.0
|
7.9
|
25.4
|
54.0
|
|
Cwm Taf (encompassing Merthyr Tydfil)
|
78,984 |
27.2
|
28.0
|
8.4
|
27.5
|
55.0
|
|
NHS Stoke on Trent
|
60,221 |
27.2
|
28.3
|
7.9
|
27.4
|
55.1
|
|
Moray Community Health & Social Care Partnership (in Grampian)
|
204,006 |
23.3
|
20.9
|
5.4
|
26.2
|
50.8
|
Francesca Marchetti concludes: “A recent survey revealed we fear sight loss more than cancer, AIDs, stroke and heart disease. Yet, many of us are unaware of the simple steps we can take to safeguard our sight. Without greater public health promotion of the importance of regular sight tests and the affect lifestyle choices can have on vision, these at risk ‘hotspots’ could easily become ‘blind spots’.”
The full Mapping the Nation’s Eye Health Report will be published later this year.
Published : 27 September 2013
