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With World Sight Day upon us, the impact the organisers have in mind is for local opticians, companies and health organisations to focus on local issues and problems that they face everyday in the hope that globally, together a difference can be made regarding the sight of people from around the world. This leads on to another recent issue which a number of optical specialists around the UK are eager to address in their attempts to better the eye health of their patients and community.
In an increasingly material and cosmetic world, eyewear and glasses, once frowned upon as products required only by the 'uncool' in society, are part of the everyday lives of the general public and the fashion conscious. Similar products such as contact lenses are also amongst a range of items that consumers are beginning to associate primarily with looks and appearance over the more serious issue of eye health and vision requirements. It is this dangerous trend that has led to authorities making concerted efforts to highlight the legal requirements of resellers in this market, in order to sell eyewear to the public. Many high street stores, although perfectly innocently in most cases, are simply unaware of the licensing laws and regulations required to stock and sell contact lenses in particular. Coupled with the financial climate that we are living in however, buyers are also blissfully unaware of the risk they might be causing to their eyesight by using such lenses as they hunt for the best look and deal over what may be considered a simply more expensive of route by visiting eye care specialists and opticians for what seem like similar products. It is also interesting to notice the trend that although price has become an increasingly demanding selling point, more and more people are purchasing designer frames for sunwear and every day use with desirable style more important than the cheaper accompanying contact lenses that follow.
It has become the misguided view of many, opticians fear, that eye wear and eye care are two distinctly different things. Whilst poor quality or un-prescribed framed lenses can be an issue for those with vision related conditions, optical specialists are becoming increasingly worried by the percentage of patients that look towards low-grade contact lenses simply down to price. With low price, generally comes low quality and a rising number of patients are beginning to suffer from further eye sight or eye conditions following the fitting of such lenses. Poorly fitting lenses can quickly lead to further problems, with un-wisely chosen products leading to ulcers, eyelid infections and other such problems that were not present before.
So with World Sight Day upon us, opticians across the UK are eager to promote service and after care as the most essential point of reference when buying glasses and contact lenses. Whilst price and an ever demanding squeeze on it is something resellers are acutely aware of, the hope is that WSD will open a few eyes to the dangers and risks the public may be putting themselves in by focusing on cost and cost only.