The number of people suffering from sight loss in Britain could rise by more than a quarter in just over a decade, a charity has warned.
The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) said its forecasts show that an estimated 2.8 million people will be living with sight loss by 2035, an increase of 27 percent.
The figures show that the proportion of people in Britain with severe sight loss or who are registered as blind is expected to rise by 29%, from 298,000 in 2022 to 379,000 in 2035.
One of the main reasons for the jump is that people are living longer, although the RNIB says waiting times for diagnosis and treatment and an increase in the number of people with diabetes are also factors.
The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) says its forecasts show that an estimated 2.8 million people will be living with sight loss by 2035, an increase of 27 percent (file image)
It further predicted that the number of people with sight loss in Britain will double to more than four million by 2050.
The charity now wants the government to develop a national eye care plan, but has said people can look after their health by having an eye test every two years.
Matt Stringer, CEO of the RNIB, said: ‘Prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of common vision conditions are vital to reducing the number of people affected by vision loss during their lifetime.
‘Regular eye tests are crucial to prevent avoidable vision loss. They are essential for everyone, even if you think your eyesight is good. Many conditions that can be detected by a routine eye test start with no obvious symptoms, and often vision conditions can be treated if caught early enough.
‘In addition to eye health, an eye test can also detect other health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, risk of stroke and heart disease.
‘In addition to calling on the British public to have their eyes tested regularly every two years, RNIB is calling on the UK government to develop and implement a national eye care plan to address delays in eye care and avoidable vision loss to stop.’
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes, caused by high blood sugar levels that damage the back of the eye (retina).
It can cause blindness if left undiagnosed and untreated.