Expert images depict what it’s like to have eyesight loss

Eyesight loss is extremely common. The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) suggests that more than two million people will experience mild to moderate sight loss by 2025. Sometimes it’s hard to know if your eye health is deteriorating. But experts at Lenstore have put together several images that visualise what different problems can look like.

Sunjata Paul, Contact Lens Optician at Lenstore said: “The images we have created are a window into how people who suffer from these eye conditions see the world, however even if you do not recognise any of these issues in your own vision, and even if you don’t already wear glasses or contact lenses, it’s recommended that you have an eye test at least once every two years, depending on your age and medical history.”

Age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration is the most common cause of eyesight loss.

In people with this condition, ageing starts to damage a pigment known as the macula in the back of the eye, explained Paul, Contact Lens Optician at Lenstore.

The macula is responsible for sharp, straight-ahead vision. Although the condition is incurable, it doesn’t cause complete blindness.

People with macular degeneration often see visual distortions such as the distortion of straight lines.

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Cataracts

This condition is “very common as you get older”, says the National Eye Institute in America.

Roughly 30 percent of people 65 or older develop a cataract in one or both eyes.

In cataracts, the lens in your eye – a small transparent disc inside your eye, develops cloudy patches, explains the NHS. It happens because proteins and fibres in the lens start to break down.

People with cataracts may also have a worse vision at night and sensitivity to light and glare.

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You may be entitled to a free eye test

The NHS advises people to get an eye test every two years. Certain people are eligible for a free eye test, paid for by the health body.

You may be eligible if you:

• Have diabetes
• Are aged 40 or over and have a history of glaucoma
• Aged 70 or over

However, if you’ve been for a private test within the last 2 years, you won’t be eligible until your next test is due.