Why an eye test is more important than you think…
by Laura Storey
If you can still see the television and you’ve convinced yourself that your glasses aren’t too reminiscent of a certain boy wizard, you might be putting off your eye test. With so much else to do, you might think there’s no need for the two-yearly check up, but an eye test is much more than just an excuse to update your specs.
In fact, for NorthernLife general manager Lee Banks, a trip down the high street to Colne Specsavers may have saved his sight. It was during a routine eye test in 2021 that Lee discovered he was at risk of glaucoma, which is one of the leading causes of sight loss in the UK.
With Glaucoma awareness month underway, NorthernLife wanted to shine a spotlight on this vision stealing disease. Around half a million people suffer from different types of Glaucoma in the UK. According to the NHS, “most cases are caused by a build-up of pressure in the eye when fluid is unable to drain properly. This increase in pressure then damages the nerve that connects the eye to the brain.”
Although most cases occur in the elderly, Lee was in his late 40s when first diagnosed. “I’ve been having regular eye tests at Specsavers for 30 plus years. I’ve got to know the staff there and I trust them completely. I went for my annual check-up and they did an eye pressure test and they were unhappy with the readings – they were more than double what was expected.”
After further tests, Lee was told he was at risk of developing the condition and needed to be referred to the local Eye Department for confirmation. “They told me that if it was left unattended, I would go blind, but because they’d detected it nice and early they were able to treat it. I just need to take eye drops each night to reduce the pressure in my eyes, and this has brought the pressure levels down to what they should be. This treatment has completely stopped me developing Glaucoma. But if I hadn’t have had an eye test at Specsavers when I did, and if they hadn’t been so conscientious, then it would have gone unchecked, and I would have run the risk of blindness.”
The disease normally shows no symptoms in its early stages and it is impossible to reverse any damage that the disease causes before diagnosis, so it’s important to get an eye test every two years to check for the condition.
“I’m very grateful for the professional and expertise of Specsavers staff and I would advise anybody to visit their local branch.”
Specsavers perform a range of tests at each eye exam to ensure the your eyes stay healthy, including an eye pressure test, which involves using a tonometer which will blow a gentle puff of air onto the surface of each eye to measure the internal pressure, which can help assess your risk of developing glaucoma. Thanks to this test, Lee has been able to keep his sight, and keep on reading his favourite mag!
To book an eye test visit Specsavers or contact your local branch now.
