13 Mar 2018
ALL
Specsavers teams are being upskilled to better support patients with glaucoma –
the leading cause of irreversible sight loss.
Jim
Lythgow, director of strategic alliances at Specsavers Corporate Eyecare, said:
‘Glaucoma is a serious threat to employees’ eyesight and employers are now in a
position to help. Simply by offering basic eye care, they can help to ensure
that conditions such as glaucoma are detected and treated early, which will be
beneficial for the business and could be life-changing for the individual.’
ALL
Specsavers teams are being upskilled to better support patients with glaucoma –
the leading cause of irreversible sight loss.
Often
symptomless in its early stages, glaucoma is thought to affect 700,000 people
in the UK today, but as many as 50% of cases are undiagnosed.*
In
conjunction with the International Glaucoma Association, the opticians has developed
training for its retail teams to assist sufferers with their treatment.
Specifically, they will be advising on how to effectively administer eye drops,
which are crucial for managing the condition.
The
aim is for each store to have at least one person on the shop floor that has
completed the course by World Glaucoma Week (11-18th March). This new training
complements the skills held by Specsavers’ optometrists, who have collectively
completed almost 5,000 postgraduate glaucoma accreditations since 2017, through
a variety of accrediting bodies including Cardiff University and the College of
Optometrists.
Jim
Lythgow, director of strategic alliances at Specsavers Corporate Eyecare, said:
‘Glaucoma is a serious threat to employees’ eyesight and employers are now in a
position to help. Simply by offering basic eye care, they can help to ensure
that conditions such as glaucoma are detected and treated early, which will be
beneficial for the business and could be life-changing for the individual.’
Alan
Murphy was just 37 when a trip to Specsavers in Connswater, Belfast, found the
early stages of glaucoma. Thanks to
early detection, his condition is now managed by using eye drops daily.
Alan,
now an advocate of regular eye tests and good eye health, believes early
diagnosis and careful management has saved his sight and says: ‘I would
strongly urge people to go for regular eye tests, and to make the most of the
advice and support provided by their local optician.”
Karen
Osborn, chief executive of IGA, says: ‘The majority of people who are diagnosed
early with glaucoma will retain useful sight for life. Most will be treated
with medical eye drops. Unfortunately we know from calls to our helpline that
many people aren’t told about how to put the drop in the eye correctly, or
aren’t advised about the aids that are available to help them. We are delighted to work with Specsavers on
this often over-looked aspect of glaucoma management.’
For
more information on eyecare in the workplace and the benefits of eVouchers, visit
www.specsavers.co.uk/corporate.
* Source: RNIB and Specsavers State of the Nation
Report - Eye Health September 2017.
Specsavers Corporate Eyecare
Website
T: 0115 933 0800
Cirrus House
10 Experian Way
NG2 1EP
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
United Kingdom
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