One in ten ignoring need for eye test

Ten per cent of adults over 40 years old have avoided having an eye test in the past five years, found research coinciding with National Glaucoma Awareness Week (June 9-15).

The International Glaucoma Association expressed concern at the research findings and urged at risk groups to have regular eye tests through an Action for Sight campaign. Awareness packs were distributed via hospitals and optical practices, together with advertising at bus shelters in London and newspaper promotions.

Half of the respondents were booking regular eye tests, according to the survey of 1,039 respondents over the age of 40 in the UK, conducted in April 2014 by Fly Research.