Eye Care Saves Money In The Long Run


Recent research from the Future Sight Loss UK Study showed that in 2008, sight loss and eye disease cost the UK over £6 billion. This research makes up part of a document commissioned by the RNIB (Royal National Institute for Blind People) that was published this autumn. It also goes further, by suggesting that the cost to the UK economy of partial sightedness and sight loss is just over £15.5 billion per year.

The RNIB estimate that by 2050, over 4 million people will lose their sight, leaving them either partially sighted or blind. It is vital therefore that the government implement new measures to try and combat this steadily rising problem. Avoidable sight loss is a major financial burden on the economy of the UK and can be prevented.

There are a large number of eye conditions that occur due to advancing age, such as glaucoma (an increased pressure within the eye) and age related macular degeneration (ARMD). Last year there were over 25000 new cases of ARMD, which if not detected early enough, can lead to blindness, as can glaucoma. The RNIB believes it is important to invest more money in detecting eye diseases before they occur, thus preventing the further costs of caring for people who have become blind or partially sighted. This doesn’t mention the psychological and social consequences that occur when sight loss could have been prevented.

The RNIB spearheaded a campaign in 2008 to force the government into providing more treatment for patients with ARMD. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published guidance for clinicians months later, now allowing patients with ARMD to get sight preserving treatment from the NHS. This has given many people a new lease of life, allowing them to begin driving again, take up new hobbies and not worry about losing their eyesight.

With the average age of the UK population increasing, the RNIB believe it is vital that we begin to invest heavily in detecting patients who need treatment for progressive degenerative eye conditions. This way we can prevent the large majority of sight loss cases, allowing us to save further services for people whose blindness was unavoidable.

10th November 2009

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