Sue Perkins on the importance of optician appointments

Avoiding the issue may not make it go away, as new research by Specsavers has revealed that people in the UK are continuing to neglect going to the optician, even post-pandemic.

Even when they believed something to be wrong, a third admitted that fear has stopped them making an appointment, as they were scared of hearing that their eyesight may have deteriorated or that they had a serious condition.

Eyesight issues are common, with 4 in 5 (83%) people experiencing problems such as floaters, migraines and blurred vision.  However, two thirds (64%) admitted to ignoring these for a prolonged period of time.

New data launched ahead of National Eye Health Week on 20^th September has found that referrals to ophthalmology services dropped by almost a third (28%) in the period March to December 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The number of people with suspected glaucoma who were given a referral fell by an estimated 43,000[2], of which around 2,600 would have been for urgent treatment, indicating how sever the consequences of ignoring symptoms and or not attending appointments can be.

Aston spoke to broadcaster and presenter Sue Perkins and Specsavers opitician Giles Edmunds.

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