Delays present sight loss risk

Fifteen percent of Britons risk losing their eyesight by not having regular eye tests, according to new research commissioned by Optegra Eye Health Care.

The Vision of Britain report found people were leaving their eye problems too long before treatment, leaving 9.8m living in fear of losing their sight.

The study of 2,000 people also revealed 50% of first time patients needed vision correction and one in 10 required glasses or treatment, despite thinking their eyesight was fine.

Nearly a quarter of respondents shied away from eye tests in fear of having to wear glasses and one in four mistakenly believed wearing glasses would make their eyesight worse. Despite shunning regular eye exams, the report showed 82% of British adults desired 6/6 perfect vision, with 60% admitting they valued their eyesight above any other sense.