National Eye Health Week will take place from 22-28 September 2025. This campaign, as organised by Vision Matters, is to promote the importance of good eye health and the need for regular eye tests for all, helping to raise awareness on how to look after our eyes.

Sight is the sense that people often fear losing the most and for the more than 2 million people in the UK living with sight loss, this is their reality. In some cases, the sight loss is unavoidable but shockingly, in up to half of these cases, it is in fact preventable.

For example, a sight test can detect early signs of conditions such as glaucoma, which can be treated if found soon enough. Sight tests may also reveal other health conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

The number one priority for the National Eye Health Week campaign is for people to get their sight tested. Sight tests should be once every 2 years or more frequently if you have a history of eye conditions within the family or are over 40 and of Afro-Caribbean or Asian origin. You should contact your local optician to make an appointment which will be conducted by a qualified optometrist or an ophthalmic medical practitioner.

For healthy eyes, Vision Matters recommend the following:

• Eat well – studies show that what we eat can affect our vision. Antioxidants, as found in leafy greens, brightly coloured fruit and veg, oily fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel, broccoli and eggs, can help to prevent retinal damage.
• Exercise – lack of exercise contributes significantly to several eye conditions. Exercise may reduce the risk of sight loss from narrowing or hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure and diabetes.
• Avoid excessive alcohol consumption – this can lead to serious health conditions which can affect your eye health.
• Avoid smoking – after ageing, smoking is the biggest risk factor for developing macular degeneration and increases your risk of developing cataract
• Be careful in the sun – it is important to protect your eyes from the sun. Sunglasses should have the CE mark on which ensure that they give the right level of ultraviolet protection.

Even if you do everything right to look after your eyes, mistakes from medical professionals can have significant consequences. One such example of case we have handled in respect of negligent care regarding vision is the result of a simple scheduling error.

Our client was suffering from some vision loss and went to his optician to get checked. They suggested he go to the hospital and on doing so, the Ophthalmologist at hospital said he should have an urgent vitreo-retinal referral to investigate potential retinal detachment. Unfortunately, this was never arranged and our client’s vision continued to get worse; sadly, by the time he was seen it was too late to repair his vision and as a result, our client is blind in one eye. Thankfully, with regular visits to his optician and ophthalmologist and ongoing treatment, the vision in the remaining eye is stable.

We presented a claim against the Hospital Trust responsible for the error; they admitted liability and are making real life improvements to help him in his day-to-day life and cope with his vision loss. For example, we have been able to obtain interim funds from the Hospital Trust and with the help of expert input, we have identified home adaptations that can be paid for with the funds, in order to enable him to move around safely, access his community, and make sure he will be looked after properly in the future. We cannot change the sight loss that he has suffered but through the process of bringing a claim, we have been able to get our client justice for what has happened to him and give peace of mind that he will have the support that he needs, both now and in the future.

If you or a loved one has suffered eye problems and consider there have been potential failings in the management of the same which has led to a worse outcome, please contact our clinical negligence team on 01482 323397 to discuss how we can help.