Boltonians need to do more to protect their eyes

A study by Optegra Eye Health Care has found that 70 per cent worry about protecting their sight – but that almost a quarter do not get their eyes checked regularly.

The figure is the highest in the country and eye care professionals in the borough are now warning that the town needs to change its habits to help improve its eye care.

Chorley New Road-based Optometrist Andre Fletcher said: "Bolton falls lower than the national average.

"It has a predominantly Northern, working class population which is on a tight budget at home, this means not everyone is in the position to do something. The report does paint a bleak picture but one which is going to increase because of an ageing population.

"It has been reported that diabetes is almost epidemic in Bolton. One of the biggest consequences of diabetes is it causes blindness but it is preventable if you pick on these things early."

Nearly one in three - 31 per cent - of GPs and opticians see technology as one of the biggest causes of eye health problems, according to the report, with adults in Greater Manchester spending six hours a day looking at a computer screen or tablet.

The report also found that three quarters of adults in the region found their eyes feel strained after a long day at work, but only a quarter of them would get their eyes tested

While, nearly half of us - 46 per cent - do not go for an eye test every two years, our eye hygiene is amongst the worst in the country - a massive 75 per cent of women do not always remove eye make-up at the end of the day, one of the highest figures across the UK.

Mr Fletcher argues that numbers of people seeking help for their vision will increase as more of the older population rely on computer devices, such as tablets.

While, he states, the devices do not cause the problems, they can highlight issues with eye sights and force people to turn to their GP for help when, in fact, they should be making regular appointments with an optician.

"A large amount of people don't think of going to optician until they have a problem, but you wouldn't do that to your car would you? You would get it serviced and MOT'd annually," he added.

"It always amazes me the amount of people who go to a GP with every little issue when they should be going to a local optometrist. In terms of referrals to the Royal Bolton, the majority are by optometrists.

"Out of 40 to 50 people a local optician will see a week, around 16 have an issue and are referred to hospital while the rest are all subscriptions.

"We are not here to sell you glasses or contacts, we want to treat and help with prevention. Book yourself an appointment, book your kids regular appointments and get them into a good habit of a lifetime. Early treatment and lots of it is good for the nations eyes!"