Help prevent sight loss with eye tests, optician urges
An optician is encouraging people to be proactive and get their eyes tested to avoid losing their sight, after figures revealed that 6,000 people in Powys live with sight loss.
Research by the Royal National Institute of Blind People for Specsavers shows that 6,060 people in the Powys region have sight loss, or about 4.6 per cent of the 132,515 population.
David Dunlop, store director at Specsavers in Newtown and Welshpool, said: "Half of all sight loss is avoidable with early detection, but despite this, many people in Powys are not taking the necessary steps to put eye health at the top of their agenda. The research gathered today shows that people are forgetting to have a check or simply aren’t making it a priority, but we’re aiming to change this.
"Having your eyes tested does not just check for changes in vision but can help prevent sight loss through early detection of conditions and even spot other health concerns such as high blood pressure and diabetes."
He was speaking ahead of National Eye Health Week, which begins today.
Specsavers advise that people should have their eyes tested at least once every two years.
