07/10/2013 - Permalink

World Sight Day: don’t forget to get your eyes tested

Related topics: Community / Health

Shropshire Council is supporting this year’s World Sight Day by encouraging people to get their eyes tested.

The overall theme for World Sight Day is ‘universal eye health’, with people being encouraged to do what they can to maintain their eyesight – such as taking regular eye tests.  Other advice includes stopping smoking, eating healthily and keeping eyes covered in the sun. 

World Sight Day 2013 is on Thursday 10 October 2013, and Shropshire Council is taking the opportunity to remind people what support is on offer for people who have problems with their eyesight. 

The council’s sensory impairment and Vision Technology and Training Services (VTTS) work closely with a number of organisations, such as Sight Loss Shropshire, to offer a wide range of support. 

A duty officer from the sensory impairment service is available from 8.45am to 5pm, Mondays to Thursdays, and 8.45am to 4pm on Fridays, to help people who are concerned about their own – or someone else’s – eyesight. 

Council officers can then assess the condition of the individual’s eyesight and what level of support is needed. 

A range of equipment and assistive technology is also available by assessment to help maintain people’s independence.  A series of drop-in sessions are held when you can discuss your concerns and needs. 

These drop-in sessions are for anyone who has a sensory impairment – whether it is hearing or sight loss – and the sessions are as follows: 

  • The Lantern, Meadow Farm Drive, Shrewsbury: third Monday of every month, between 10am and 4pm.
  • The Meres Community Centre, Ellesmere: First Thursday of each month, between 2pm and 4pm.
  • Ludlow Community Hospital, Ludlow: Second Friday of each month, between 10am and 1pm. 
  • The See and Hear vehicle is also parked at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital by Outpatients on the first Thursday and third Wednesday of every month from 10am to 2pm. Officers from the sensory impairment team and VTTS are available to offer advice and information at these drop-in sessions. 

In addition, Shropshire Council is now in its seventh year of being the lead partner in the See and Hear exhibition, which is widely acknowledged as one of the leading events of its type in the country. 

Preparations for next year’s event, due to take place on 14 May 2014, are already underway, and more information is available here.

Karen Calder, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for health, said:

“We are pleased to support World Sight Day, which is delivering a strong message to encourage everyone to ensure their eyes are tested regularly to help prevent long-term problems from developing.  Dealing with any sensory impairment can be a difficult and traumatic time, but there is lots of support out there to help.”

Dr Kevin Lewis, Shropshire Council’s Director of Preventive Health Programmes, Shropshire Council:

“Shropshire Public Health is pleased to work with local partners in promoting World Sight Day, and to advise on the steps that everyone can take to maintain good eyesight.

“We would particularly encourage those invited to attend the free NHS Healthchecks that are being offered by GP surgeries in Shropshire.  These include tests for diabetes and high blood pressure, which if undetected can lead to significant problems with vision.

“There is also support available to help smokers quit, which is important because long-term smoking is strongly linked with impaired vision and blindness.”

For more details about the council’s sensory impairment service, click here.  

To contact the VTTS call 01584 871420.

For more information about Sight Loss Shropshire, visit the website here.