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LIVING
Winter eye care
We all know that wintry conditions add a challenge to
driving. We need to have our cars prepped, but what
about our eyes?
As icy cold snaps make for challenging
conditions on the roads, a high street optician
is urging people to 'get themselves seen' after
more than a quarter of customers admitted
they are choosing to drive less during the winter months.
The main reasons given for not getting behind the
wheel is down to glare of oncoming headlights (69%),
closely followed by icy roads (66%) and driving in snow
(63%).
The straw poll of 700 customers carried out by
Scrivens Opticians & Hearing Care also showed that one
in six are scared of driving in the dark, with 60% not
aware of the availability of lenses designed to reduce
headlights dazzle and improve vision in low light and poor
weather conditions.
Almost all of those surveyed believed that eye tests for
drivers should be a statutory requirement, with just over
half believing that the test should be completed annually.
Eye health
Another recent survey on eye care - this time by polling
organisation YouGov - has concluded that the pandemic
and cost-of-living crisis are having a worrying impact on
Britain's eye health. Over a third (38%) of adults say their
sight has got worse since the pandemic started, yet 22%
cannot afford an eye test because their bills have gone
up and another 22% have missed or delayed eye care
appointments, including surgeries, since March 2020.
The study of over 2,000 adults, commissioned by
international sight-loss charity Orbis UK (www.orbis.org.
uk), also found that 41% of adults are concerned about the
impact NHS backlogs in eye surgery with have on their
health and relative's health. Furthermore, 26% of British
adults have not had an eye test in the past two years (as
recommended by the NHS) and 25% say they have a child
aged under 18 who has never had an eye test, despite
these being free of charge.
"An eye test is often where conditions can be picked
up before they develop into a serious problem. But with
people choosing between eating and heating, eye tests
are understandably pushed further down households'
priority list," says Dr Larry Benjamin, a Consultant
Ophthalmologist, Trustee and Orbis Medical Volunteer
for 18 years, "We recognise it's a really difficult time for
many people in Britain. But, if you are entitled to a free
eye test or are overdue one, do try to book the next
available appointment. If you have not had an eye test in
the last two years but must pay for one, try to book one
as soon as you realistically can afford to. Your eyesight
is precious, getting your eyes tested could save you
potential problems further down the line."
Private care boom
Patient numbers published recently by the independent
OCL Vision eye clinic reveal a surging demand for private