Belson Opticians is dedicated to protecting your family's vision. This October, as we observe Blindness Awareness Month and Eye Injury Prevention Month, we want to highlight one crucial, empowering fact: over half of all sight loss in the UK is preventable with the right care and precautions.
For 70 years, Belson Opticians has served families across Essex (Corringham, Witham, Pitsea) and London Docklands (Canary Wharf). We have seen first-hand that the loss of vision, while devastating, is often the result of conditions that were either uncorrected, undiagnosed, or unprotected against.
Let’s look at the numbers, dive into the technology we use to fight silent diseases, and review the simple steps you can take today to protect your sight for a lifetime.
Part 1: Early Detection is Key – The Fight Against Avoidable Blindness
Blindness Awareness Month draws attention to the two million-plus people in the UK currently living with sight loss. The single most compelling statistic for prevention is that an estimated 50% of all sight loss cases in the UK are avoidable if they are detected and treated early enough.
Sight loss from conditions like Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy, and Macular Degeneration often begins without any noticeable symptoms, making them silent threats. Waiting for symptoms to appear means waiting for irreversible damage to have already occurred. This is why a comprehensive, regular eye exam is your first line of defence against avoidable sight loss UK.
The Power of OCT: Seeing Beyond the Surface
To truly diagnose and manage these silent conditions, traditional eye charts and basic retinal cameras are no longer sufficient. As an independent, family-run practice, Belson Opticians invests in state-of-the-art diagnostic tools like OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography).
Imagine your eye's retina is like a layered cake. A basic camera can only see the top surface (the icing). The OCT scan, however, is a non-invasive tool that uses light waves to take a cross-section image, allowing your optician to literally “slice the cake” and view each distinct layer of tissue and nerve fibre beneath the surface.
This detailed, three-dimensional view is why we can often detect the earliest signs of sight-threatening conditions up to four years earlier than traditional methods.
Targeting Specific Diseases with OCT
- Glaucoma Detection: Glaucoma is often called the silent thief of sight because it painlessly damages the optic nerve. The disease causes a progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGC). Our OCT technology is essential for accurate Glaucoma detection opticians rely on because it allows for objective quantification of the Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer (RNFL) thickness and the structure of the Optic Nerve Head (ONH). By measuring these structures and comparing them to a normative database, we can spot subtle structural thinning that indicates the onset of the disease—long before it impacts your vision.
- Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD): AMD affects the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for sharp, central vision. OCT is invaluable in diagnosing and monitoring AMD by detecting fluid build-up (macular oedema) or other structural changes that signal the progression from dry to wet AMD, allowing for timely referral and treatment.
- Diabetic Retinopathy Screening: This condition, which involves damage to the blood vessels in the retina, is the leading cause of preventable sight loss in working-age people in the UK. Early detection through advanced eye exam London Docklands or OCT scan opticians Essex is critical to managing diabetes-related eye damage before vision is permanently compromised.
Part 2: Lifestyle Risks – The Dangers of Contact Lens Misuse
When discussing avoidable sight loss, the focus is usually on diseases. However, a significant number of people put themselves at risk of blinding infections through poor contact lens hygiene.
The two most dangerous habits for contact lens wearers are exposing lenses to water and sleeping in them.
Water and Lenses: A Dangerous Combination
Tap water, shower water, swimming pools, and hot tubs are not sterile. They can contain microorganisms, including a terrifying parasite called Acanthamoeba, and the resilient bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
If water touches your contact lens, the lens can absorb these organisms and trap them directly against your cornea. This can lead to:
- Acanthamoeba Keratitis (AK): While rare, this is a painful and devastating infection of the cornea. It is extremely difficult to treat, often requiring months of medication, and can result in permanent vision loss or necessitate a corneal transplant. Studies show that contact lens users who expose their lenses to water have a significantly higher risk of contracting this parasite.
- Microbial Keratitis: Infections caused by bacteria like Pseudomonas can progress incredibly quickly, leading to severe pain, redness, and rapid vision deterioration.
Critical Contact Lens Safety Rules:
- NEVER rinse your lenses or lens case with tap water, bottled water, or saliva. Use only fresh, sterile solution recommended by your optician.
- NEVER swim, shower, or use a hot tub while wearing your lenses.
- NEVER sleep in contact lenses unless they are specifically prescribed for extended (overnight) wear by your optician. Sleeping in regular lenses deprives the cornea of oxygen, dramatically increasing the risk of infection by nearly six times.
Part 3: Prevent Eye Injuries – At Home, Work, and Play
While diseases develop slowly, sight can be lost instantly due to trauma. Eye Injury Prevention Month is a vital reminder that experts agree: 90% of all eye injuries are preventable with the use of proper eye protection.
The Home Hazards You Might Be Overlooking
It is a common misconception that eye injuries primarily occur in industrial settings. In fact, nearly 45% of all eye injuries requiring hospital treatment occur at home. The dangers lurk during common tasks:
- DIY & Gardening: Flying debris from hammering, sawing, using power drills, or even strimming grass can cause severe, penetrating eye trauma.
- Chemicals and Cleaning: Splashing household bleach, oven cleaner, or garden chemicals can result in severe chemical burns to the cornea. Always read the label and use safety glasses when handling potent substances.
- Simple Accidents: Even opening a champagne bottle, removing a bungee cord, or a child’s toy can cause a serious blunt force injury.
Workplace and Sports Safety
For those working in high-risk environments, like the construction and engineering sectors around Canary Wharf, tailored protection is essential.
- Workplace Injuries: Statistics show that three out of five workers injured were not wearing appropriate eye protection at the time of the accident. Even if protective eyewear is provided, it must be the right type for the hazard (e.g., side shields for debris, goggles for chemicals). We provide bespoke, prescription safety glasses London and protective eyewear opticians trust, customised to your environment.
- Sports Protection: Sports are a leading cause of eye injuries among children and young adults. Baseball, squash, tennis, cycling, and basketball all pose a risk. We supply durable, high-impact polycarbonate lenses in custom sports frames, ensuring your eyes are protected while maintaining optimal vision. Ask about sports goggles Essex options.
Part 4: The Belson Difference – Personalised, Independent Care
For almost seven decades, Belson Opticians has stood as a family-owned independent practice. Choosing an independent optician is crucial to the fight against avoidable sight loss because it guarantees a level of care that prioritises your health over corporate targets.
1. Continuity of Care: Unlike large chains, where you might see a different optometrist every year, at Belson, you can build a long-term relationship with the same familiar faces. We know your family history, your past prescriptions, and, most importantly, the minute-by-minute changes in your eye health, which is essential for catching slow-moving diseases like Glaucoma.
2. Longer, More Thorough Appointments: Our appointments are deliberately longer and unhurried. This allows our optometrists the necessary time to use advanced technology like OCT and discuss lifestyle risks (like contact lens hygiene and occupational hazards) fully, ensuring we deliver a truly comprehensive eye exam.
3. Investment in Technology: Our freedom as an independent practice means we invest in the best technology available, such as OCT, rather than being limited to standard, older equipment dictated by a corporate budget. This means you get cutting-edge diagnostic care right on your doorstep.
4. Tailored Solutions: We are not restricted to in-house brands or specific suppliers. We have the freedom to recommend the absolute best lenses, frames, and protective eyewear tailored specifically to your visual needs, lifestyle, and budget—not to a sales target.
Take action this October to protect your sight. Your vision is priceless, and with half of all sight loss being avoidable, the solution starts with a simple, thorough eye examination.
Book Your Advanced Eye Examination with Belson Opticians Today!
Call us free on 0800 980 3464 or find your local practice to book online:
- Canary Wharf
- Corringham
- Witham
- Pitsea
Contact Page: https://belsonopticians.co.uk/pages/contact
#ProtectYourSight #BelsonOpticians #EyeHealthUK