Freelance

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Jamie Hailstone is a freelance journalist and author, who has also contributed to numerous national business titles including Utility Week, the Municipal Journal, Environment Journal and consumer titles such as Classic Rock.
September 27, 2018

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National Eye Health Week

Hairy Biker backs National Eye Health Week

Hairy Biker Dave Myers has urged everyone to look after their vision as part of National Eye Health Week, which runs until 30 September.

The television presenter and celebrity chef was diagnosed with glaucoma during a regular eye test, which could have had a huge impact on his career if it had gone undetected.

“Like so many people, my career is my passion and it’s so hard to be able to imagine doing all the things I love to do if I couldn’t see, whether it’s riding my bike, reading an autocue or preparing ingredients,” said Mr Myers.

“The thought that I could have lost my sight is really scary,” he added. “As we get older lots of things need closer attention, not least our eyes.”

New figures released by the campaign, which has been organised by the charity Eye Health UK and backed by opticians Specsavers, show people over the age of 65 are twice as likely to develop a vision-related condition, such as glaucoma or cataracts, which could significantly hinder their ability to their job effectively.

And with official figures showing there are more than 1.2 million people still working in the UK over the age of 65, the campaign has urged Britain’s ageing workforce to take their eye health seriously.

A recent report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Eye Health and Visual Impairment also warned more needs to be done to make eye health a priority. According to the report, the number of people in the UK that will be affected by sight loss is predicted to increase by more than 10% by 2020, rising to more than 40% by 2030, due largely to the country’s ageing demographic.

A recent report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Eye Health and Visual Impairment also warned more needs to be done to make eye health a priority. According to the report, the number of people in the UK that will be affected by sight loss is predicted to increase by more than 10% by 2020, rising to more than 40% by 2030, due largely to the country’s ageing demographic.

“With the right support, people with sight loss can continue working, and if you’re an employer, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and other organisations can help you to properly support a member of staff who is losing their sight,” said RNIB Interim Chief Executive, Eliot Lyne.

“Advances in technology mean that blind and partially sighted people can now overcome many of the barriers to work that they have faced in the past, and government schemes, like Access to Work, mean that many of the costs can be met.”

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