Facts About Your Eye Health

26 November 2019

Are you seeing everything clearly when it comes to your eyesight? In this era of fake news, figuring out what’s fact and what’s fiction has never been more difficult. Which is why here at Optegra, we’ve used our position as the UK’s most trusted eye care specialist to give you the true facts about your eyesight.

To do this, we’ve used the information we gathered in partnership with Boots Opticians for our Vision of Britain report. The report looked in depth at the state of the nation’s eye health and provided information we think everybody should know about vision. We’ve distilled the most important facts and figures into a handy infographic, so read on below to find out more.

Eye health facts

According to optometrists, patients are often surprised to receive a diagnosis for eye conditions they were completely unaware they had. This includes 63% of people who didn’t realise they had age-related macular degeneration (AMD) , 65% who didn’t realise they had cataracts and 67% who didn’t know they were suffering from glaucoma.

Problems with vision are best treated as soon as possible, so this highlights the importance of regular eye testing. Eye tests should be carried out at least every two years, but according to our Vision of Britain report, only 38% of UK adults are following that guidance.

The facts about cataracts

One of the most misunderstood eye conditions is cataracts. This is a painless clouding of the lens of the eye, which affects one in three people over the age of 65. Typical symptoms include blurred vision, glare from bright lights, and a need to frequently change prescriptions.

Cataracts can only be corrected with surgery, and the treatment is very common. Around 330,000 people have cataract surgery each year in England alone. Treatment involves replacing the natural lens of the eye with an artificial one, which can either be a standard lens or an advanced lens specially designed to correct visual errors at the same time as treating cataracts. Whichever treatment option you choose, the results will be permanent.

Your options for vision correction

If you have trouble seeing clearly due to problems such as long-sightedness, short-sightedness or astigmatism, there are a number of options available to you. Whilst glasses or contact lenses are just a temporary solution, vision correction surgery involves making a permanent change to improve your vision for many years to come.

Options for vision correction include:

  • Laser Eye Surgery – This type of treatment involves using laser technology to reshape the cornea, thus correcting the visual error. There are a number of different treatment options available, including LASIK, LASEK and ReLEx SMILE, each of which uses slightly different methods.
  • Lens Replacement – Lens replacement surgery involves replacing the eye’s natural lens with a specially designed artificial lens, aimed at correcting visual errors at the same time as treating and preventing cataracts.

 

The facts about laser eye surgery

According to our Vision of Britain report, 69% of people put off having vision correction due to a fear of surgery. However, there is no need to be nervous about having laser eye surgery. It is an incredibly safe procedure and one of the most commonly performed surgical operations in the world, with thousands of people having treatment each year.

Only a tiny percentage of people experience any kind of complications, and in the event that complications do take place, they can usually be addressed very effectively with further treatment. Possible side effects of laser eye surgery include dry eyes after surgery, which can be treated with eye drops, and blurring or glare as your eyes recover. In almost all cases these are only temporary side effects and will gradually fade away in the weeks and months after treatment as your eyesight improves.

With so many people reportedly being nervous about treatment, it’s only natural that 22% of adults surveyed said they would prefer to have surgery in a hospital rather than a high street clinic. Here at Optegra we offer specialist eye hospitals with the latest facilities and equipment, so you can rest assured that you’re in the very best hands.

Want to know more?

To discover more facts and advice about eye health, download our Vision of Britain report our Vision od Britain report for a more detailed breakdown.

If you have any concerns about your own eye health, drop in to see us at one of our free open evenings, held at our eye hospitals up and down the country. Our world-class surgeons will be happy to answer any questions you may have. We also offer free one to one consultations, so you can be sure on the best option for you before deciding whether to go ahead with vision correction treatment.

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