Do you see what I see? Families in Surrey urged to spot eye problems at Christmas
The festive season is when families come together – often for the first time in months or even years – offering a rare opportunity to notice if any relatives are quietly struggling with their vision or other health issues.
Optegra Eye Hospital Surrey is asking households to pay attention to subtle signs of eyesight problems and early warnings that a family member may need an eye health check.
Annual activities such as driving to family get-togethers, reading a Christmas menu, playing a board game or watching a festive film may reveal vision or hearing difficulties which have developed gradually over time and that people haven’t yet spotted themselves – but their relatives might notice.
Professor Clare O’Donnell, Head of Eye Sciences and Optometry at Optegra Eye Health Care, says: “We tend to be busy over the festive period, travelling longer distances than we normally would and catching up with extended family, so it’s easy to overlook changes to our health. But there are warning signs for our vision that we shouldn’t ignore.
“For example, you may notice someone in the family is squinting to read, holding items further away or perhaps they mention they’re struggling to see when driving at night. These are all signs that they should book an eye health check as soon as possible in the new year at their local optometrist, who will be able to assist them to secure clearer vision.
“However, some changes which we might spot in relatives are very much ‘red flags’, meaning you need to seek immediate help. These could include a sudden onset of blurry vision, distorted objects such as straight lines (e.g. on floor tiles) appearing wavy, flashes of light or floaters. These could be signs of a problem with the retina and should be checked out urgently.
“Being with family is also a chance for you to check in with older relatives who may show signs of being unsteady on their feet, more hard-of-hearing than previously or perhaps more forgetful, all symptoms which should be checked out with the relevant healthcare professional.”
A simple eye exam with a community optician is something we could all encourage our family members to consider, starting the new year in a healthy positive way.
Professor O’Donnell continues: “What people might not understand is that an eye exam is more than checking to see if you need glasses, it’s a way to review your eye health too. Optometrists can see the blood vessels at the back of the eye in detail and check for conditions like diabetes, glaucoma or Age-Related Macular Degeneration even before we notice any changes ourselves. And with these conditions, the sooner they are spotted and treated the better the outcome is likely to be.
“An eye test is straightforward and painless, using state-of-the-art equipment and is a great MOT for your eyes and your health in general. So if you notice any changes in a family member, don’t wait – encourage them to their optician and give their eyesight the gift it deserves.”
For more information visit: www.optegra.com
Optegra Eye Health Care is a specialist provider of ophthalmic services. Established in 2007, with its first hospital opening in 2008, it has completed over one million eye procedures from its 78 eye hospitals across the UK, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Holland.
As well as providing private vision correction treatments – from lens replacement and laser eye surgery to implantable contact lenses – Optegra treats cataract surgery both privately and through its partnership with the NHS. Optegra also treats medical conditions AMD and glaucoma; and has launched the first ever treatment for people with the Dry form of AMD.
Optegra brings together leading-edge research, medical expertise and state-of-the-art surgical equipment. It performs more than 170,000 treatments annually, both private and publicly funded. Its top ophthalmic surgeons are renowned for their areas of expertise, offering excellent clinical outcomes and great patient service.