The UK needs a vision tsar to halt what the RNIB has described as an impending eye health crisis. David Challinor reports on the Commons launch of the Open Your Eyes campaign
The UK needs a vision tsar to halt what the RNIB has described as an impending eye health crisis. David Challinor reports on the Commons launch of the Open Your Eyes campaign
The report behind this week's 'hard hitting' RNIB poster campaign aims to achieve much more than simply raising awareness of the importance of eye examinations.
Its launch - in the members' dining room at the House of Commons - could not have been more appropriately sited to attract attention of those in the corridors of power.
MPs were told that more than two million people in the UK are at risk of needlessly losing their sight through treatable eye conditions by the publication of Open Your Eyes by the RNIB.
The charity's goal is to bring an end to preventable sight loss in the UK by 2020, and its report suggests several headline-grabbing changes to help secure this aim.
One includes the appointment of a 'chief vision officer' in government, to steer an increase in eye health funding in the right directions.
The report candidly states that avoidable sight loss in this country is a reflection of the low priority given to eye health within Britain's health and social care systems.
'Because eye health is low on the political agenda it has been largely down to charities to try to raise awareness of the importance of regular eye tests to prevent blindness.'
Impending crisis
The launch event marked the start of what the RNIB said was a call for action to address the UK's impending eye health crisis.
It claims that more than half of all vision loss is avoidable and that unknowingly 1.9 million people with diabetes and 250,000 people with early-stage glaucoma are at risk of losing their sight. This is in addition to the two million people in the UK already with vision problems.
The cost of blindness in the UK was estimated five years ago at an annual £4.9bn, so there are strong economic arguments to tackle blindness through prevention and treatment, the charity claims.
Steve Winyard, RNIB's head of campaigns, said: 'Ignorance is quietly robbing people of their sight every day. Unless action is taken, thousands of people in the UK will this year needlessly lose their sight from conditions that could be treated if caught early.
'The Government needs to act now as the situation is going to get much worse with the explosion in the numbers of people with diabetes and as a result of the ageing of our population.
'RNIB wants the Government to invest in a large-scale public eye health awareness campaign on the importance of regular eye tests.
'Regular eye tests are vital for everyone - you'll never regret an eye test. An eye test can save your sight.'
Open Your Eyes states that nine out of 10 people fear losing their sight above any other sense but one in three still failed to have an eye test in the last two years.
The report clearly shows that few people understand the importance of an eye test in identifying potentially blinding conditions, with most giving the reason for not having an eye test as 'they didn't have a problem with their eyes'.
In addition to the huge problem of treatable vision loss, a further half a million people in the UK are needlessly living with sight loss by not seeking treatment for cataracts (the routine operation that is successful in 90 per cent of cases) or by simply wearing the wrong prescription spectacles.
At last Tuesday's packed launch event in Westminster, Kevin Barron MP, who is chair of Parliament's health select committee, told the other members present to sign an early day motion in favour of the campaign.
In addition, he warned the £4.9bn annual figure for the cost of blindness would rapidly increase 'if we don't improve prevention of sight loss through diagnosis, treatment and social services'.
Lesley-Anne Alexander, chief executive of the RNIB, asked the audience when had they last had an eye examination, given that the charity's research had found that a third of the population had not been for an appointment in the past two years.
National strategy
She called for a national vision strategy to make sure the target of eradicating preventable blindness in the UK by 2020 was reached.
'Over the next few years we want to work with MPs at a national and local level, and today we're calling on all MPs -well, those who are not currently in the Big Brother house - to sign the early day motion to support our campaign,' said Alexander.
'We want the Government to fund a large-scale public health campaign to raise awareness of eye health issues and the importance of eye examinations as a regular health check.
'We're also seeking implementation of improved patient referral pathways to ensure early diagnosis and treatment of eye conditions, with high quality rehabilitation services.
'Finally, there is an absolute need for a significant increase in funding for eye health services and implementation of robust national standards for care for people with sight loss.'
She added that the RNIB wanted the Government to provide clear direction and leadership for this work by the appointment of a chief vision officer.
The report behind this week's 'hard hitting' RNIB poster campaign aims to achieve much more than simply raising awareness of the importance of eye examinations.
Its launch - in the members' dining room at the House of Commons - could not have been more appropriately sited to attract attention of those in the corridors of power.
MPs were told that more than two million people in the UK are at risk of needlessly losing their sight through treatable eye conditions by the publication of Open Your Eyes by the RNIB.
The charity's goal is to bring an end to preventable sight loss in the UK by 2020, and its report suggests several headline-grabbing changes to help secure this aim.
One includes the appointment of a 'chief vision officer' in government, to steer an increase in eye health funding in the right directions.
The report candidly states that avoidable sight loss in this country is a reflection of the low priority given to eye health within Britain's health and social care systems.'Because eye health is low on the political agenda it has been largely down to charities to try to raise awareness of the importance of regular eye tests to prevent blindness.'
Impending crisis
The launch event marked the start of what the RNIB said was a call for action to address the UK's impending eye health crisis.
It claims that more than half of all vision loss is avoidable and that unknowingly 1.9 million people with diabetes and 250,000 people with early-stage glaucoma are at risk of losing their sight. This is in addition to the two million people in the UK already with vision problems.
The cost of blindness in the UK was estimated five years ago at an annual £4.9bn, so there are strong economic arguments to tackle blindness through prevention and treatment, the charity claims.
Steve Winyard, RNIB's head of campaigns, said: 'Ignorance is quietly robbing people of their sight every day. Unless action is taken, thousands of people in the UK will this year needlessly lose their sight from conditions that could be treated if caught early.
'The Government needs to act now as the situation is going to get much worse with the explosion in the numbers of people with diabetes and as a result of the ageing of our population.
'RNIB wants the Government to invest in a large-scale public eye health awareness campaign on the importance of regular eye tests.
'Regular eye tests are vital for everyone - you'll never regret an eye test. An eye test can save your sight.'
Open Your Eyes states that nine out of 10 people fear losing their sight above any other sense but one in three still failed to have an eye test in the last two years.
The report clearly shows that few people understand the importance of an eye test in identifying potentially blinding conditions, with most giving the reason for not having an eye test as 'they didn't have a problem with their eyes'.
In addition to the huge problem of treatable vision loss, a further half a million people in the UK are needlessly living with sight loss by not seeking treatment for cataracts (the routine operation that is successful in 90 per cent of cases) or by simply wearing the wrong prescription spectacles.
At last Tuesday's packed launch event in Westminster, Kevin Barron MP, who is chair of Parliament's health select committee, told the other members present to sign an early day motion in favour of the campaign.
In addition, he warned the £4.9bn annual figure for the cost of blindness would rapidly increase 'if we don't improve prevention of sight loss through diagnosis, treatment and social services'.
Lesley-Anne Alexander, chief executive of the RNIB, asked the audience when had they last had an eye examination, given that the charity's research had found that a third of the population had not been for an appointment in the past two years.
National strategy
She called for a national vision strategy to make sure the target of eradicating preventable blindness in the UK by 2020 was reached.
'Over the next few years we want to work with MPs at a national and local level, and today we're calling on all MPs -well, those who are not currently in the Big Brother house - to sign the early day motion to support our campaign,' said Alexander.
'We want the Government to fund a large-scale public health campaign to raise awareness of eye health issues and the importance of eye examinations as a regular health check.
'We're also seeking implementation of improved patient referral pathways to ensure early diagnosis and treatment of eye conditions, with high quality rehabilitation services.
'Finally, there is an absolute need for a significant increase in funding for eye health services and implementation of robust national standards for care for people with sight loss.'
She added that the RNIB wanted the Government to provide clear direction and leadership for this work by the appointment of a chief vision officer.