Third of Scots haven't told an optician about their eye issues

More than a third of Scots say they currently have eye issues they haven’t told an optician or healthcare professional about.

Being dazzled by bright lights (9%) and black spots in their vision (12%) are among the symptoms that are being ignored, according to YouGov research released ahead of National Eye Health Week.

Over a fifth of Scottish people surveyed also admitted they haven’t had an eye test in the last two years or at all.

The research comes from the Royal National Institute of Blind People and opticians Specsavers, who have joined forces with bestselling Scottish author Ian Rankin to urge people to make a visit to an optician part of their regular health routine.

Ian, who started wearing reading glasses just a few years ago, said: “People need to get used to it, as they would going to the dentist.

“There might be nothing wrong, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, so don’t get lazy, get into your opticians for an appointment.

“As someone who writes books for a living it’s important that I can see the screen and read a page of text with ease. And equally I want readers to be able to read and enjoy books without struggling.”

During his most recent routine eye test last year, Ian said Specsavers took a picture of the back of his eye which revealed signs that could be a precursor to macular degeneration.

He said: “To my surprise I was advised to introduce kale to my diet, and I thought it was fascinating that a simple change of eating habits could help to limit future problems.

“I only wish it was chocolate I’d been advised to eat rather than kale, as I’d have no problem sticking to that! But joking aside, I do think this is a reminder that eye tests are such an important health check and I’d urge Scots to remember this.”

In the YouGov survey, Scots who admitted they had not had an eye test in the last two years or more were asked what might prompt them to make an appointment.

A surprising 22 per cent said ‘if it was free’, suggesting there was a lack of awareness that eye examinations are already free under the NHS in Scotland.

Jill McArthur, Chairperson for Specsavers in Scotland, said: “It is worrying that so many Scots aren’t going for regular eye checks, and especially concerning that many more are ignoring symptoms of potential eye issues.

“Having an eye exam every two years is vital, not just because it can pick up on vision issues, but because it can detect signs of many underlying conditions, including tumours, diabetes, high blood pressure and even cardio-vascular disease.

“An eye exam should be considered an important part of your regular health routine and that’s why we’re encouraging Scots to take note of the State Of The Nation Eye Health 2017 report and ensure they attend regular tests.”

The new statistics show that every day 250 people start to lose their sight in the UK.

Women, who tend to live longer, are at greater risk than men, with one in four women set to develop sight loss in their lifetime compared with one in eight men.

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.