In Focus: A world view within sight

The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness’ annual awareness event, World Sight Day (WSD), provided a focus for much of the optical sector this year and allowed companies and associations to demonstrate their charitable credentials and raise awareness of important issues.

Coronavirus provided the backdrop to the awareness event this year on October 8, with much of the support offered to sight loss organisations intended to mitigate the negative impacts that the virus has had on care provision.

Online prescription spectacles retailer Glasses Direct marked this year’s WSD with the release of a survey it conducted on the impacts of lockdown on vision. The company surveyed 2,000 people in Britain and discovered that 28% of respondents listed tired and sore eyes as the issue they had suffered from most in lockdown. The same proportion of respondents reported trouble falling asleep, with another 24% complaining of headaches. More women (68%) reported suffering from these symptoms than men (57%).