Residents of retirement villages across the North West were visited by eye experts from SpaMedica recently, for an interactive discussion on cataracts – the leading cause of vision impairment and blindness.
The sessions were part of a tour called ‘Life Through the Lens’ and addressed how to spot early symptoms of the condition and the impact it has on vision and quality of life.
Professor Christine Purslow, SpaMedica’s Clinical Director of Outpatients, and National Lead Optometrist, Sarah Hardy, led the tour across locations in the North West.
In Greater Manchester, it’s estimated that 80,600 people live with vision loss – and the number of people living with cataracts is expected to increase by 20% by 2032.
Christine Purslow explained: “We wanted to get out into the local community and speak to those individuals who are at a time of life where they are most affected by this condition.
“We had a wonderful time speaking to residents and raising awareness of cataracts. Sarah and I discussed what to look out for, early signs and symptoms, and how cataracts may affect their lifestyle.
“All the residents were very engaged and asked some really interesting questions. It was great to hear from those who’d had the surgery about their experiences, and how they were surprised how straightforward it was and, of course, how much better they could see!
“We talked about the importance of regular visits to the optometrist and what to expect when they were referred for treatment. We rounded off the session with a fun quiz recapping on what we’d covered and handed out goodie bags with information for residents to take away with them. The coffee mornings were organised to mark Cataract Awareness Month in June, with McCarthy and Stone, the UK’s leading developer and manager of retirement communities. It operates over 530 retirement communities across the UK, for more than 21,500 people.
House Manager Samantha Lever, of Bolton’s Lawn Court development, said: “Everybody really enjoyed the morning. They said the information was accurate and the speaker was very knowledgeable. So much so, it has led to a lady who suffers from Parkinson’s disease having a clearer understanding, and she’s made an appointment with an optometrist.”
The average age of people having their first cataract surgery is 76. As well as causing deterioration of sight, cataracts can affect your physical and mental health.
A poll by SpaMedica – which has its headquarters in Bolton and over 55 eye hospitals nationally – found that 52% of people with cataracts reported that they struggle to watch TV, almost half said they struggled to read, and 44% reported difficulty with driving.
In the survey of over 2,000 SpaMedica patients, quality of life was rated poor or very poor by 1 in 4 (25%) pre surgery – this fell to less than 1.5% of people after surgery.
You may experience one or more of the following symptoms if you have cataracts: • Blurred vision • Difficulty driving at night • Difficulty watching television and reading • Being dazzled by sunlight and/or bright lights such as the headlights of an oncoming car • Fading of colours • Frequent changes to your spectacle or contact lens prescription
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