Worrying figures revealed as Vision Express’ Vision Van targets classic car enthusiasts
Visitors to this year’s London Classic Car Show (14th to 17th February) were urged to take better care of their sight after a health initiative by Vision Express, on board its state-of-the-art Vision Van, revealed:
- Almost 90% were overdue an eye test.
- 76% of Van visitors had outdated prescriptions and one person was referred for further medical attention following their eye test.
The national optical retailer targeted the motoring enthusiast show, as part of its ongoing Eye Tests Save Lives campaign and following a nationwide crackdown on poor driver sight. Supported by Vision Express and road safety charity Brake – the police-led initiative which began in September 2018, revoked the licences of drivers with below par vision.
Eddie Gibson from Epsom, Surrey, was referred for further medical attention following his visit to the Vision Van, which has been touring the country offering free eye tests to the public following its launch in 2018. The 48-year-old said: “I’ve been meaning to have my eyes tested for a while – admittedly, my last eye test was about four years ago. I wasn’t expecting the eye test onboard the Van to be so thorough. The optometrist discovered some minor tears at the back of my right eye and advised I should have it checked out further.”
Vision Express optometrist, Rajiv Raja, explained further: “Eddie has one good eye (right) and one lazy eye (left), which is weaker. During the eye test, I could see there had been a small retinal change at the back of his right eye and to be on the safe side I referred him to have further testing with an ophthalmologist.
“Our high-tech equipment is what picked up the small change; I’m glad it’s not something that has been missed. I’m not massively worried about the change we’ve detected, but it could be a sign of early macular degeneration, so it’s always better to be cautious and have it monitored at the hospital.”
Dan McGhee, Director of Professional Services at Vision Express, commented: “It’s a huge concern that almost 90% of visitors to our Vision Van at London Classic Car Show were found to be overdue an eye test – especially as statistics indicate that around 3,000 road casualties every year are due to people driving with below par vision. The statistics from the event highlight that there is a clear need to educate drivers about the importance of regular eye examinations, which can help detect sight- stealing conditions such as macular disease, as well as other health conditions.”
To follow the #VisionVan visit: https://www.visionexpress.com/vision-van/