Hywel Dda region ranked fourth in UK for highest vision spends

Data shows the three counties combined, which make up the Hywel Dda Health Board region, was ranked fourth in a list of highest expenditures on vision problems in the UK.

Over two million people across the United Kingdom suffer from some form of sight loss, resulting in billions of pounds spent on prevention and treatment of eye problems a year, according to the study carried out by Bookaneyetest.co.uk.

A total of £22,040,791 is spent on vision problems in Hywel Dda, equating to £57 per-person.

Katie Memory, director and managing partner at Memory Opticians said: “Over 2 million people in the UK suffer from some sort of sight loss, whether that be full or partial loss of sight, temporary or permanent blindness, in one or both eyes.

“The research shows that the places with the highest levels of sight loss are mainly situated in rural or coastal areas. This is not surprising, as these areas are typically home to ageing populations, who often show higher rates of sight loss compared to younger generations, as sight loss increases gradually as we get older.

“This also explains why, at the other end of the scale, large cities with younger populations such as London and Manchester contain fewer people suffering from sight loss.

“Sight loss may be something you are born with or could occur as a result of a condition, illness, accident or simply growing older.

“Sight loss can often be treated with vision aids, such as glasses and contact lenses, which is why it is so important to get your eyes tested in order to receive the correct support for your sight loss.”