IGA and Specsavers team up for World Glaucoma Week

Specsavers teams up-skill awareness in glaucoma – the silent thief of sight

IN THE build up to World Glaucoma Week (11-18 March) all Specsavers teams are up-skilling to better support patients with the condition.

Often symptomless in its early stages, glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible sight loss. It is thought to affect 700,000 people in the UK today, but as many as 50% of cases are undiagnosed[1].

In conjunction with the International Glaucoma Association, Specsavers 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. 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.

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.’

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