"Routine Eye Exam Leads to Emergency Surgery" - OK! Magazine

Eye health isn't just a concern for the older generation, according to an expert. Paying attention to signs and symptoms at all ages can help prevent long-term, and sometimes irreversible, damage.

Data from Specsavers reveals that last year, over 30,000 people under 60 were referred for suspected glaucoma - a condition that harms the eye's optic nerve. Early detection is crucial as if left untreated, it can cause irreversible damage and permanent sight loss.

Giles Edmonds, clinical services director at Specsavers, agrees that age isn't always a factor in eye health conditions. 'It's a common misconception among younger people that certain eye conditions are something only older generations need to worry about. But the reality is, anyone can develop issues with their sight, and often these conditions don't come with obvious early symptoms. While some conditions like glaucoma or macular degeneration are more common with age, we're increasingly seeing issues like digital eye strain, myopia (short-sightedness) and dry eye affecting younger generations - largely due to lifestyle changes such as increased screen time.'

Despite glaucoma being amongst the most prevalent eye conditions, the majority of people understand very little about it - research revealed nearly a third of British adults are almost entirely unaware of the condition - with roughly half of all cases remaining undiagnosed.

'Glaucoma is often known as the 'silent thief of sight' because it can develop without any symptoms and can result in irreversible damage,' Giles told the Mirror.

'That's why regular eye checks are so essential - they don't just test your vision, they can help detect conditions early, when they're most treatable.'

Here, Giles outlines steps you can take to keep your eyes as healthy as possible for as long as possible.

Lifestyle choices

It's the day-to-day health decisions that build the foundation for your overall wellbeing – and eye health is no different. 'A healthy lifestyle can help. A balanced diet, staying active, limiting alcohol and avoiding smoking all support eye health,' says Giles.

Prevention over cure

With any eye condition, regular check-ups are vital. 'For most people, prevention starts with early detection. At Specsavers, we recommend an eye check every two years, or more often if advised by your optometrist – and it's important to book one even if you haven't noticed any problems,' reminds Giles.

Risk factors

'Having diabetes, high or low blood pressure, a history of eye injury or surgery, long-term use of steroids, as well as high levels of short or long-sightedness, can all increase your risk of developing glaucoma,' says Giles. You're also up to four times more likely to develop glaucoma if you have a close relative with the condition, so it's important to share this with your optometrist.

Monitor screen usage

Additional eye issues are emerging over time, stemming from overuse of digital gadgets. Complications can include eyestrain, blurred vision and dry eyes, and excessive screen time can potentially contribute to the development or progression of myopia.

Remember the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Try for complete no-screen days, too.

Stay sun conscious

'Protecting your eyes from harmful UV rays by wearing sunglasses is another simple way to reduce the risk of long-term damage from conditions such as cataracts or macular degeneration,' says Giles. Overexposure to harmful UV rays can lead to photo-keratitis – a type of sunburn to the outer layer of the cornea. Category 4 sunglasses let in just 8% of light, making them ideal for extremely bright conditions.

Rachel Parkinson, a 49 year old mum from Preston, who is short-sighted and has a stigmatism, was left stunned after a routine eye check-up in 2020.

'As part of my routine eye check at my local Specsavers, I decided to have the OCT (optical coherence tomography) scan. They told me it helps detect potential eye health issues, such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration, up to four years earlier and it was at a very reasonable cost. The results of the OCT scan showed the optician that something wasn't right and they could see some abnormalities at the back of my eye. I wasn't told at the time that they suspected I had glaucoma but they told me that I needed to be referred to my GP for further investigation.

My GP referred me to the ophthalmology clinic where I received an appointment 10 months later. I attended my first appointment at my local hospital and I was directed to the glaucoma clinic, this was the first I had really heard of the condition - I had always thought that it was something that only affected older adults. I couldn't believe it - I had not had any symptoms at all.

I had already lost some of my sight in one eye by the time I was diagnosed, so my glaucoma was considered advanced. This loss of sight is subtle and takes place over a long period of time so it is not noticeable until an ophthalmologist points it out and then it is quite scary. Luckily, my left eye is not as advanced and I still have most of my visual field in that eye.

Following my diagnosis, I underwent quarterly check-ups and tried various types of eye drops to alleviate the pressure in my eyes, but none proved effective. I even had SLT, a form of laser therapy, twice, but that didn't yield any results either. My eye pressures remained too high, threatening further vision loss. Consequently, my consultant at the Lancashire Eye Clinic suggested performing a trabeculectomy on each eye - a surgical procedure designed to lower eye pressures.

The prospect of my first trabeculectomy was terrifying, especially as the anaesthetist had fallen ill. Typically, a trabeculectomy is performed under general anaesthesia. However, my eye surgeon gave me the option to reschedule or proceed with only local anaesthesia, which would involve inserting a needle and other instruments into my eyes. I chose to go ahead, fearing more vision loss if I postponed the procedure. Even now, I experience bouts of anxiety before any sort of check-up or eye test, particularly when one is imminent.

I strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I make it a point to inform everyone I know about glaucoma and its potential to develop at any age. I was in my 30s when I was diagnosed. There are no symptoms in the early stages, but if detected and treated promptly, there's a high chance of preventing further sight loss.

I urge people to keep up to date with regular health checks and routine appointments because some health issues are underlying and if left undetected could mean people are stuck with irreversible and permanent damage.

I have always followed the medical professionals advice to the letter, this is imperative. If I hadn't done, I could have risked losing more of my vision.