The UK’s Desperately Low “Eye-Q”

“Testing the Nation’s Eye Q” – a recent survey report by Eye Health UK and Thomas Pocklington Trust to assess “how smart we are when it comes to looking after our vision and eye health” – cuts straight to the chase, stating that there are “gaping holes in the public’s knowledge about eye care.”

Only one in four of the 2,077 adults surveyed, for example, rated routine eye tests as important for maintaining good eye health; the report estimates that “more than 17.5 million of us haven’t had an eye test in the last two years.” You’d think COVID-19 would be behind this alarming statistic, but the pandemic “wasn’t cited as a key reason.” Instead, 36 percent of the survey respondents said the cost of eye care was the number one reason for not having a test. 

People earning less than £7,000 per annum were twice as likely to skip an eye test because of the perceived cost than someone living in a household with an annual income of £83,000 or more. However, those with higher incomes are more likely to wrongly believe that they don’t need an eye test. 

The survey report also reels off a list of popular misconceptions about eye health: 75 percent of people think it’s okay to shower in contact lenses, 56 percent are unaware that rubbing your eyes can be harmful, 47 percent think it’s okay to use eye drops past their listed expiry date, and only a third (32 percent) of people with a close relative with glaucoma think that they themselves are at risk of the condition. And of particular concern for the optometry sector is the fact that there is “low awareness of the enhanced optical services available at many high street opticians.”

If nothing else, the survey is a stark reminder of the importance of getting eye care messages out to the public – especially given that 85 percent of respondents said they would make lifestyle changes if they knew their current habits could increase the risk of future sight loss. 

And if your glass is half full – and you’re a practice own with a penchant for clever marketing – I’d say the survey smells like an opportunity…