Organisers of National Eye Health Week (NEHW), the Eye Health UK, have outlined plans for its annual public awareness drive on eye health between September 19 and 25 and issued a call to eye care professionals (ECPs) to engage with communities and share advice.
Over recent years, engagement from the optical industry has grown significantly, with more than 6,000 supporters participating in 2021 , the charity told Optician. The week will highlight the range of services available in high street opticians and the role of ECPs with themed days and official partners, including the Central Optical Fund, Specsavers and Thomas Pocklington Trust. This year’s themes are children’s eye health with a focus on myopia control; good vision for driving; live well to see well; minor eye conditions; technology, such as assistive tech and optical instruments; and eye health during menopause.
David Cartwright, chair of Eye Health UK, the charity behind the campaign, explained: ‘National Eye Health Week provides a unique platform for everyone in optics to join together and shine a light on the important, and often undervalued, work that goes on in optical practices daily across the UK. I’d urge everyone to get involved and add their voice to the conversation and help spread the word on the simple things we can all do to keep our eyes and vision healthy.’
In relation to funding for the event, he added: ‘Unfortunately, funding continues to be the biggest barrier to NEHW realising its potential to become a premier health event and make good eye care a priority for everyone.’
Supporting the cause
Specsavers planned to launch its report, The state of the UK’s eye health 2022, during NEHW, and will present key messages to Parliament at a report launch. The reception will focus on using the full potential of the expertise within the optometry community to prevent avoidable sight loss. Doug Perkins, co-founder of Specsavers, said: ‘We are proud to partner with NEHW because it promotes the importance of good eye health. Raising awareness of the need for regular sight checks delivered by experts who care, in the community, in support of the NHS, is vital for the nation’s eye health. This year, these messages are more important than ever as we deal with the effects of the pandemic with pent-up demand, alongside health problems associated with an ageing population.’
Simone Mason, dispensing optician at Perspective Opticians in Solihull, which fundraises in support of the charity each year, said: ‘Our Local Optical Committee Solihull’s AGM conveniently falls during NEHW so I have ordered a small supply of paper resources, such as the magazines, leaflets and posters, and created a display stand at the events. As a DO, this year’s themes are very current and relevant in my work, in particular, myopia management and menopause.’
Antonia Chitty, head of communications at Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO), commented: ‘We will be posting a mix of content from ABDO’s longstanding public outreach campaign, EyecareFAQ, on relevant topics to each day’s theme and sharing NEHW assets for the daily topics. We will also be promoting the work of the dispensing optician.’
Activities open to all
Eye Health UK has planned a Roadside Vision Screening for motorists, conducted by police forces across the UK, and a social campaign promoting eye tests on #FrEyeday September 23 to encourage all ECPs to take action. Meanwhile, the charity has suggested some proactive ways practices can get involved, such as by running a ‘pop-up’ spectacle cleaning station; hosting a fashion event showcasing the latest frames; hosting a workshop with a local business or school; holding a low vision clinic to share tips for living with low vision; or by inviting your local community to take part in a number plate challenge, where motorists check if they can read a car number plate from 20 metres away.
Campaign materials are free to download from visionmatters.org.uk, including posters, social media assets, presentations and challenge sheets, as well as a new online risk calculator that assesses a person’s risk of sight loss based on lifestyle habits, genetic factors and on-screen tests. A step-by-step webcast on making the most of the resources will also be released. Use the official hashtags #EyeWeek, #VisionMatters and #FrEyeDay to join the social conversation and spread the word.