To mark the beginning of National Eye Health Week (23-29 September), new research has revealed that 19 million people in the UK are jeopardising both their physical and mental health by not attending regular eye tests.
Eye tests are vital health checks, not only for detecting vision problems but also for identifying a variety of other health conditions, including high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, heart disease, brain tumours, and stroke risk.
Poor vision has been linked to several chronic and life-limiting health problems. A study by Johns Hopkins University shows that vision issues are responsible for up to one in five dementia cases.
Even a mild decrease in vision (6/12 – halfway down an optometrist’s eye chart) is associated with a significant decline in quality of life and an increased risk of depression (three times greater), falls (double the risk), and early death (double the risk).
David Cartwright, an optometrist and chair of Eye Health UK, urges anyone who has not had an eye test in the past two years to make an appointment. He said:…
